Islam, Islamism and Politics in Eurasia Report 40

15 May 2011

Edited and Written by Gordon M. Hahn (unless otherwise indicated) 

CONTENTS:

RUSSIA

• CE AMIR UMAROV APPOINTS NEW VALI AND AMIR FOR DAGESTAN VILAIYAT
• CE DATA ON THE NUMBER OF ITS ATTACKS AND RESULTING CASUALTIES FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2011
• FOURTH SUICIDE BOMBING OF 2011, THIRD IN DAGESTAN
• CE WEBSITES ON OBL’S DEATH
• DAGESTAN VILAIYAT CELL UNCOVERED IN CZECH REPUBLIC
• AQ’S INSPIRE TRANSLATED TO RUSSIAN IN FULL AND POSTED ON JOINT CE/AQ-AFFILIATED WEBSITE
• KURDISH TURK AND ALLEGED AL QA`IDA OPERATIVE KILLED IN CHECHNYA
• TALIBAN AND GLOBAL JIHADIS STEPPING UP EFFORTS IN RUSSIA?
• UZBEKISTAN MAN ARRESTED FOR FINANCING CAUCASUS MUJAHEDIN

AZERBAIJAN

• AZERBAIJAN PROTEST AGAINST SCHOOL HIJAB BAN PUT DOWN BY POLICE

CENTRAL ASIA by Yelena Altman (unless otherwise indicated)

• WANTED TURK DETAINED IN KYRGYZSTAN
• BOMB FOUND IN SCHOOL IN BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
• ISLAMIC MOVEMENT OF KYRGYZSTAN CREATED
• TRESPASSER DETAINED ON UZBEK BORDER
• ESCAPED FUGITIVES SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
• IMU VIDEOS “THE MUJAHID #2” AND “USAMA BIN LADEN”
• UZBEKISTAN PRESIDENT KARIMOV ACCUSES WEST OF INSTIGATING TERRORISM

* IIPER is written and edited by Dr. Gordon M. Hahn unless otherwise noted.  Research assistance is provided by Seth Gray, Leonid Naboishchikov, Anna Nevo, and Daniel Painter.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

CE AMIR UMAROV APPOINTS NEW VALI AND AMIR FOR DAGESTAN VILAIYAT

CE amir Dokku ‘Abu Usman’ Umarov has appointed a new wal (vali) and amir for the DV and its mujahedin fighter, according to Umarov’s May 9^th decrees published on the CE website Kavkaz tsentr on May 10^th.  He is ‘Salikh’ Ibrakhimkhalid Daudov, formerly the amir of the DV’s Central Sector.[1]

Daudov was first mentioned as the Central Sector’s amir in December 2010, but could have replaced ‘Seifullah Gubdenskii’ Magomedali Vagabov as early as spring of that year when Vagabov was promoted from the position of Central Sector amir to the positions of the DV’s vali and amir and CE qadi.  ‘Salikh’ Daudov was identified as the Gubden Jamaat’s amir in June 2010.  Thus, he has risen up through the ranks of the DV and CE on the same ladder that Vagabov did: from the Gubden Jamaat to the DV Central Sector amir to DV vali/amir.  Daudov’s predecessor ‘Khasan’ Israpil Velidzhanov, killed last month, was the DV Southern Sector’s amir before be appointed as DV amir.

It was Daudov’s wife, Zavzhat Daudova, who accidentally detonated a suicide belt on December 31^st in a rented cabin in southwestern Moscow ruining a planned New Year’s Eve twin suicide bombing likely targeting Red and/or Manezh Square celebrations.

The vanguard role that the Dagestan mujahedin and even the Gubden have been playing in the CE’s jihad for over a year puts Daudov in a position to become the first Dagestani CE amir should Umarov be killed or captured before Daudov is.  Another possible candidate to succeed Umarov could be the CE’s qadi, Ali Abu Mukhammad ad-Dagistani, who is also a Dagestani.  However, there is no evidence that he has played a major operational role to date.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CE DATA ON THE NUMBER OF ITS ATTACKS AND RESULTING CASUALTIES IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2011

The Caucasus Emirate-affiliated website UmmaNews.com continues to report monthly on the number of attacks carried out by the CE mujahedin and the casualties that have resulted from those attacks (and presumably Russian counter-terrorism operations) among both Russian state agents and on the side of the mujahedin as well.  The data did not include mention of the 24 January 2011 Moscow Domodedovo Airport suicide bombing carries out the CE, its Riyadus Salikhiin Martyrs’ Brigade, and specifically the ethnic Ingush mujahed and Ingushetiya native Magomed Yevloev.  The data does include the two 14 February 2011 coordinated suicide bombings carried out in Gubden, Dagestan by the ethnic Russian couple of Vitallii Razdobudko and Maria Khorosheva.  Overall, they show that in the first four months of 2011 the CE mujahedin claiming responsibility for 230 attacks: 229 in the North Caucasus and 1 in Moscow at Domodedovo Airport.

________________________________________________________________________

Table 1. CE Data on Number of Attacks and Casualties in the First Four Months of 2011.

Vilaiyat of the  Caucasus Emirate	Attacks/ Incidents	State Agents Killed	State Agents Wounded	Civilians Killed****	Civilians Wounded****	Mujahedin Killed
Nokchicho Vilaiyat or NV (Chechnya)	20	11	44	0	0	19
Galgaiche Vilaiyat or GV (Ingushetia)	16	8	3	0	0	12
Dagestan Vilaiyat or DV (Dagestan)	139	69	121	0	0	49
OVKBK*	51	28	34	2	0	17
Nogai Steppe Vilaiyat**	3	5	6	0	0	0
Moscow***	1***	0	0	39	180	1 (shakhid)
TOTAL	230	121	208	41	180	98

* OVKBK – the United Vilaiyat of Kabardiya, Balkariya and Karachai, the CE’s jihadi network the North Caucasus republics of Kabardino-Balkariya and Karachaevo-Cherkessiya.

** Nogai Steppe Vilaiyat covers the North Caucasus regions of Krasnodar Krai and Stavropol Krai for the CE.

*** This attack and the attendant casualties are from the 24 January 2011 suicide bombing at Moscow’s Domodeovo Airport not included in the mujahedin’s numbers on casualties in the North Caucasus.

**** The CE’s data do not distinguish between civilian and non-civilian casualties but rather between infidel (kufr) and apostate (murtad) casualties.  Therefore, in cases where we know the victim was a civilian we counted that casualty as a civilian killed or wounded.

———————————————————————————————-

SOURCES: The data for attacks in the North Caucasus was provided by the CE-affiliated website UmmaNews.com: “Imarat Kavkaz. Svodka boevikh deistvii modzhakhedov Imarata Kavkaz za mesyats Safar 1432 goda po Khidzhre (Yanvar’ 2011),” Kavkaz tsentr, 5 February 2011, 23:30, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/02/05/78900.shtml citing UmmaNews.com; “Imarat Kavkaz: Svodka boevykh operatsii modzhakhedov za rabi’ al’-avval’ 1432 goda po Khidzhre (4 fevralya – 5 marta 2011 g.,” Umma News, 6 March 2011, 14:31, http://ummanews.com/news/last-news/734———–1432—-4—5–2011-.html and Kavkaz tsentr, 6 March 2011, 17:09, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/03/06/79792.shtml; “Imarat Kavkaz: Svodka boevykh operatsii modzhakhedov za mesyats rabias-sani 1432 po khidzhre (6 marta – 5 aprelya 2011 g.,” UmmaNews.com, 6 April 2011, 13:30, http://ummanews.com/news/last-news/977–1432-6-5-2011-.html and “Imarat Kavkaz: Svodka boevikh operatsii,” Kavkaz tsentr, 7 April 2011, 13:19, www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/04/07/80520.shtml; and “Imarat Kavkaz: Svodka boevykh operatsii modzhakhedov za mesyats dzhumada al’-ulya 1432 goda po khidzhre (6 aprelya – 3 maya 2011 g.),” Umma News, 4 May 2011, 2:18, http://ummanews.ru/news/last-news/1197–1432-6-3-2011-.html and “Imarat Kavkaz: Svodka boevykh operatsii modzhakhedov,” Kavkaz tsentr, 4 May 2011, 18:00, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/04/81270.shtml.  For the Moscow Domodedovo Airport attack see “V osushchestvlenii terakta v aeroportu Domodedovo uchastvovali, kak minimum, 5 chelovek,” Ekho Moskvy, 8 February 2011, 21:00, http://echo.msk.ru/news/748417-echo.html and “Terakt v Domodedove podgotovili i proveli, kak minimum, 5 chelovek,” Ekho Moskvy, 8 February 2011, 22:03, http://echo.msk.ru/news/748430-echo.html.

_______________________________________________________________

More than half of the attacks and casualties inflicted have been in Dagestan.  The titular Vainakh republics show a very low level, nearly dormant jihad, with NV Chechen and GV Ingush mujahedin producing just 9 attacks in April (7 in Chechnya and 2 in Ingushetiya).  The OVKBK rebounded from its 3 attacks in March to 11 in April, but those 11 attacks inflicted few casualties: 1 state agent killed and two wounded.

If one compares IIPER’s numbers, which rely on both jihadi and non-jihadi sources’ reporting, then it appears that the mujahedin are producing accurate data.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FOURTH SUICIDE BOMBING OF 2011, THIRD IN DAGESTAN

In the last issue of IIPER, the Russian FSB’s claim that ethnic Russian mujahed Viktor Dvorakovskii may have been involved in the Minsk subway bombing.  The Dvorakovskii mystery seemed to be solved on May 10^th when it was reported that Dvorakovskii carried out the fourth suicide bombing of the year in Russia in Dagestan’s capitol Makhachkala.  He had apparently detonated a bomb he was trying to bring into a military hospital in Dagestan’s capitol Makhachkala where Russia’s MVD chief Ruslan Nurgaliev was visiting with police and soldiers wounded in a recent battle with mujahedin in Kizlyar, Dagestan.  The attack killed the policeman who stopped Dvorakovskii to check his papers as he tried to enter the hospital and wounded another and several a passers-by.  However, on May 11^th it was revealed it was not Dvorakovskii but rather a Dagestani and Makhachkala resident named Abakar Aitperov, born in 1979.[2]

Days earlier Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAK), the FSB, and Stavropol’s MVD put out a warnings that Dvorakovskii and three other apparently would-be suicide ‘shakhids’ – 33-year old Eldar Bitaev, 20-year old resident of Armavir (Krasnodar) Ibragim Yakhyaevich Torshkhoev, and 27-year old Sochi (Krasnodar) resident Aleksandr Dudkin – were preparing to carry out attacks.  The NAK and FSB announced a search for Torshkhoev (whose name suggests he is an ethnic Ingush) on May 3^rd claiming he might be in Chechnya.  On May 9^th Torshkhoev, Dvorakovskii, and the other two were being hunted by Stavropol’s MVD; the former two were said to have left from Sochi to Stavropol recently in order to carry out suicide attacks.[3]

Dudkin and Dvorakovskii are ethnic Russians.  Dvorakovskii was a friend of the ethnic Russian pair involved in the failed New Year’s Eve suicide bombing plans, Vitallii Razdobudko and Maria Khorosheva, who then detonated suicide belts in two separate locations in Gubden, Dagestan on February 14^th.  They both studied in Stavropol before becoming jihadists and detonating themselves in Dagestan.  He was being searched for ever a bomb accidentally detonated in his apartment in Stavropol.  All this points up three recent trends: increased activity in and around Sochi, Krasnodar and Stavropol; the Dagestan-east Stavropol connection; and the conversion to Islam of ethnic Russians and their deployment as suicide bombers.  These could have implications for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, as the CE may be trying to build up a cadre of ethnic Russian or Slavic attackers who could be more easily infiltrated into Sochi and deployed to attack the Games.

Aitperov’s attack marks the third suicide bombing in Dagestan so far this year.  The first such attack was carried out at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport in January and has been followed by these three in a row in Dagestan.  Dagestan led in the number (6 of 14) of suicide attacks and overall number of attacks last year as well.  Dagestanis carried out the dual suicide bombing on Moscow’s metro in March 2010, meaning that Dagestan accounted for 8 of the 14 last year and has accounted for 11 of the last 18 attacks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CE WEBSITES ON OBL’S DEATH

The death of A’ Qa`ida’s leader Osama bin Laden long awaited in the West and Russia led to an outpouring of articles on CE-affiliated websites praising the terrorist’s life, ‘shakhad’, and jihadi activity and lamenting and reacting to his demise.  Once AQ had acknowledged bin Laden’s demise, the CE Dagestan Vilaiyat’s (DV) website JamaatShariat.com carried a tribute taken from the jihadi scholar Sheikh Yasir al-Burkhami and his website Anasalafy.com.[4]  For the original see Anasalafy.com, specifically http://www.anasalafy.com/play.php?catsmktba=25906.) Another DV ode to bin Laden appeared a day later; a brief biographical overview titled “Hero of Our Time.”  It noted that among the veterans of jihad who gathered around bin Laden and joined AQ were Chechens.  The article concludes with a long list of testimonies to bin Laden issued by “true Islamic scholars” – read: leading foreign global jihadi ideologists, philosophers, and sheikhs.[5]

The following is a list of some of the articles, including official AQ and Taliban statements, which were published on CE-affiliated websites in the days following the news that U.S. Navy Seals had liquidated bin Laden:

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/07/81337.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/07/81336.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/06/81327.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/03/81235.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/09/81388.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/09/81399.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/04/81286.shtml;

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/04/81281.shtml;

http://al-ansar.info/showthread.php?989-Пакистанские-талибы-Шейх-Усама-бин-Ладен-жив-и-находится-в-безопасности/page2&p=2395;

http://www.ummanews.com/news/last-news/1221–l-r-.html;

http://www.ummanews.com/news/last-news/1213–l-r-.html.

http://milleti-ibrahim.com/ru/2010-08-18-14-24-52/447-2011-05-10-13-03-14.html

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/10/81441.shtml

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/11/81470.shtml

One article pursues the question as to whether U.S. President Barack Obama is a member of the ‘Skull and Bones Society’ and includes a photograph of the president during his election campaign visit to Israel wearing a Jewish skullcap.[6]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CE DAGESTAN VILAIYAT CELL UNCOVERED IN CZECH REPUBLIC

Counter-terrorism officials in the Czech republic uncovered a cell connected to the CE’s Dagstan Vilaiyat (DV) in Bohemia and arrested its members on April 6^th, as reported by the chief of the Czech Unit for Combatting Organized Crime (UOOZ) Robert Slachta.  The Czech press reports were a little behind the times in that they referred to a cell of the ‘Shariat Jamaat’ of the Dagestan Front.  That jamaat has not existed in its present form since 2005.  The Czech UOOZ reports that some of the group’s members visited training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan and were once based in Berlin, Germany, suggesting ties to Al Qa`ida and perhaps to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.  Documents relating to the Dagestan mujahedin in both Arabic and Russian were confiscated in the residences of the arrestees.  The group includes one Chechen, two or three Dagestanis, two or three Moldovans, and two Bulgarians, who are accused variously of weapons possession, document falsification, financing and supplying terrorist organizations, specifically the DV’s new members with weapons and explosives.  The Chechen’s apartment is reported to have contained “significant quantities of arms and ammunition.”  Only six of the eight accused have been arrested in the Czech Republic, with two members still at large in Germany.  There could be an unidentified ninth member.  Some in the group possessed narcotics.  Profits made from the falsification of passports and false documents were sent to Dagestan and presumably were used to purchase weapons and explosives, but no one has been charged with planning a terrorist operation.[7]  However, one press report claimed that the Bulgarian members of the group were involved in planning terrorist attacks in unidentified “other states.”[8]

On May 8^th Czech police announced the arrest of an unnamed 42–year old Pakistani national wanted by Interpol on murder and terrorism charges.  The police stated that there was no connection between the CE-tied cell and the Pakistani.[9]  However, their could be an indirect connection in that AQ or global jihadists have concluded the Czech Republic is a good venue for implementing Jordanian sheikh Abu Mohammed Asem al-Maqdisi’s call for expansion of the global jihad into Eastern Europe; a task he said the CE is well-suited for.  It is also possible that Czech police may be trying to keep their cards close to their chest by denying the connection, as they search for other possible terrorists.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AQ’S INSPIRE TRANSLATED TO RUSSIAN IN FULL AND POSTED ON JOINT CE/AQ-AFFILIATED WEBSITE

For the first time Al Qa`ida’s English-language journal Inspire has been translated in full and published on the Russian-language forum of the Ansar al Mujahideen website (AMIR or Al-ansar.info) affiliated to the Global Islamic Media Front and Al Qa`ida (AQ).  The site was founded by the CE’s United Vilaiyat of Kabardiya, Balkariya, and Karachai (OVKBK) and the Global Islamic Media Front-tied core Ansar al Mujahideen website, https://www.ansar1.info.[10] The CE Dagestan Vilaiyat’s JamaatShariat.com and the OVKBK’s Islamdin.com each have an icon-link to Ansar al-Mujahedin in Russian (AMIR) on their front pages.  Kavkaz tsentr does not but has published numerous articles from AMIR.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KURDISH TURK AND ALLEGED AL QA`IDA OPERATIVE KILLED IN CHECHNYA

On May 4^th Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAK) reported the killing on May 3^rd of ethnic Kurd and Turkish citizen Doger Sevdet in Vedeno Raion, Chechnya.   Known as Abdullah the Kurd, Sevdet was said to be an emissary of Al Qa`ida and to possess passports in his name from Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Pakistan.  According to NAK, in 2006 he became deputy to, and recently succeeded Abu Anas Muhannad, killed last month, as the main coordinator of international terrorist activity for AQ in the North Caucasus and distributor of foreign and AQ funds to the Caucasus mujahedin.  Therefore, it is possible that Sevdet was now fighting not with the CE but with the breakaway wing of its Nokchicho (Chechnya) Vilaiyat.  The amirs of the now independent NV (INV) renounced their bayats to CE amir Dokku ‘Abu Usman’ in September 2010 as a result of tensions whipped up by Muhannad, according to the CE leadership and the foreign jihadi sheikhs and patrons, like Maqdisi, Tartusi, Awlaki, and others who support the CE.  Indeed, he was killed along with a Dagestani mujahed, Ramazan Ruslanovich Bartiev, from Khasavyurt, Dagestan and born in 1987, who was said to have fought with the Gakaev brothers, who also broke with Umarov last autimn.[11]

Sevdet allegedly arrived in the North Caucasus in 1991 through Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge and began fighting in the unit of foreign mujahedin led in succession by Khattab, Abu Hafs, Abu Walid, and Muhannad.  He was reported to have taken part in numerous operations.  NAK also stated that Russian security services were able to track down Sevdet operation with the assistance of foreign intelligence services.  The NAK report included nine photographs of Sevdet, his passports, communications devices, Korans, videotapes, maps, and possibly explosive materials.[12]

Just two days before Sevdet’s killing, Rossiiskaya gazeta cited FSB sources alleging that before his elimination Muhannad had been preparing to bring in a group of new foreign recruits to the North Caucasus through Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge and use them to establish his control over the Caucasus jihadi movement.[13]  It is possible that Sevdet was involved in completing that endeavor in the wake of Muhannad’s demise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TALIBAN AND GLOBAL JIHADIS STEPPING UP EFFORTS IN RUSSIA?

On May 2^nd the Russian government newspaper Rossiiskaya gazeta, citing Russian intelligence sources, reported Muslim students from Russia who study abroad continue to come home and fill the leadership ranks of the Caucasus mujahedin.  It claimed that even in one Russian region “far from the North Caucasus” there are currently eight different Islamist and jihadist organizations attempting to recruit fighters and suicide bombers.  It was also reported that both the Taliban and Hizb ut-Tahrir Islami are bothing attempting to establish cells inside Russia.[14] 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UZBEKISTAN MAN ARRESTED FOR FINANCING CAUCASUS MUJAHEDIN

Police arrested a man from Uzbekistan living in Pervorecehskoye, Dinskii Raion, Krasnodar Krai for financing the Caucasus mujahedin.  He had recently sent R50 thousand to the mujahedin before his arrest.  Krasnodar Krai’s resort area of Sochi will host the 2014 Olympic Games.[15]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN PROTEST AGAINST SCHOOL HIJAB BAN PUT DOWN BY POLICE

The Azerbaijan Education Ministry’s decision last year to ban the wearing of the hijab in schools continues to fuel protests.  On May 6^th another such demonstration was broken up by baton-wielding police, who arrested several dozen demonstrators, sometimes violently.   Radio free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that some of the demonstrators threw stones at police, when the latter began chasing demonstrators in order to arrest them.[16]  The demonstrations against the school hijab ban have been occurring once every few months on a background of continuing instability and opposition demonstrations on the model of the ‘Arab Spring’ demonstrations, ‘Days of Rage’ and the like.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CENTRAL ASIA

WANTED TURK DETAINED IN KYRGYZSTAN

Ali Osman Zor, a Turkish journalist wanted in Turkey, was detained in Kyrgyzstan. Allegedly, he has links to Al Qaeda and has supported terrorism in the past.  The 43-year old is a member and a spokesman of the Great East Islamic Raiders Front, an extremist organization that was responsible for a recent bombing in Istanbul.[17]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOMB FOUND IN SCHOOL IN BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

A bomb with 1 kg of TNT was found in a Bishkek School No. 20 on 6 May 21011.  The bomb was placed in the school yard and contained aluminum powder, ammonium nitrate, and metal bolts and screws.[18]  An investigation is being held on the security structure of the country as well as at Bishkek School Number 20.  The Kyrgyz security forces arrested nine people, who were allegedly involved in planning the attack.  They also confiscated over 15 kg of explosive material and readied explosives.  Those involved are part of the terrorist organization Zhayshul Mahdi.[19]  The leader was identified as a 49-year-old resident of Kara-Sui district in Osh.[20]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ISLAMIC MOVEMENT OF KYRGYZSTAN CREATED

          The Kyrgyz security forces have been discussing the reported creation of the Islamic Movement of Kyrgyzstan, a previously unheard of movement.  In a parliament initiated meeting on 29 April, the head of the Kyrgyz National Security said that “400 citizens of Kyrgyzstan, mainly ethnic Uzbeks, are currently training in terrorist camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”[21] Allegedly, they left after the ethnic clashes that occurred last summer.  Reliability of the claim about this group’s creation is still being debated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TRESPASSER DETAINED ON UZBEK BORDER

Rustam Muminov, an Uzbek, was detained on the border of Uzbekistan.  In his possession were 961.5 thousand Dollars, 54.8 thousand Euros and two million Russian Rubles.[22]  Allegedly, he was crossing the border to hand over the money to mujahedin in Tajikistan.  According to Regnum.ru, customs officials have prevented more than 160 border offences since 2011.[23]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ESCAPED FUGITIVES SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON

The nine fugitive mujahedin, who had escaped prison in August 2010 and were recaptured, have convicted and sentenced.  Abdurasul Mirzoyev was sentenced to solitary confinement for 30 years. The other two fugitives, citizens of Russia but came from Dagestan, were also sentences to 30 years. Ibrokhim Nasriddinov, the leader of the escape mission and three others were sentenced to life. Additionally, two Tajik citizens were harboring the fugitives received sentences of two years.[24]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMU VIDEOS “THE MUJAHID #2” AND “USAMA BIN LADEN”

Jundullah Studios created two new videos from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.  Some of the footage shows day to day operations of the IMU.[25]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UZBEKISTAN PRESIDENT KARIMOV ACCUSES WEST OF INSTIGATING TERRORISM

Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov accused the West of funding Arab revolts.  In his address, he explained that foreign financing was also the biggest component of terrorism in the Middle East.  He issued a warning to his people on Victory Day to be vigilant and help the authorities to prevent any uprisings.[26]

__________________

Footnotes

[1] “O naznachenii Amira Dagestanskogo Fronta VS IK, Valiya Vilayata Dagestan,” Kavkaz tsentr, 10 May 2011, 00:07, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/10/81422.shtml.

[2] “MVD: samopodryv v Makhachkale sovershil zhitel’ goroda Abakar Aitperov,” Kavkaz uzel, 11 May 2011, 09:40, http://dagestan.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/185229/.

[3] “Na Stavropol’e ishut 4 terroristov v svyazi s podgotovki vzryvov cv SKFO,” RIA Novosti, 9 May 2011, 14:30, http://www.rian.ru/defense_safety/20110509/372326177.html and Webground.su, 9 May 2011, http://webground.su/topic/2011/05/09/t257 and “Informatsionnyie soobsheniya,” National Anti-Terrorist Committee, 3 May 2011, 10:30, http://nak.fsb.ru/, accessed 11 May 2011.

[4] Sheikh Yasir Al’ Burkhami, “Pozdravlyayu tebya Usama, Pozdravlyayu Vas Mudzhakhidy!,” JamaatShariat.com, 6 May 2011, 13:49, http://www.jamaatshariat.com/-mainmenu-29/14-facty/1557-2011-05-06-10-54-20.html.

[5] “Geroi Nashego Vremeni,” JamaatShariat.com, 7 May 2011, 15:11, http://www.jamaatshariat.com/-mainmenu-29/14-facty/1558-2011-05-07-12-18-46.html.

[6] “Yavlyaetsya li Obama chlenom sekty ‘Cherpe i kosti’?,” Kavkaz tsentr, 4 May 2011, 16:44, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2011/05/04/81268.shtml.

[7] “Policie stiha pet lidi z podpory terorismu,” Lydovki (Prague), 3 May 2011, 11:19 and 16:15, http://www.lidovky.cz/tiskni.asp?r=ln_domov&c=A110503_111957_ln_domov_ape and Christian Falvey, “Police uncover first case of a terrorist network operating in the Czech Republic, eight charged with aiding Dagestani Shariat Jamaat,” Radio Praha, 4 May, 16:24, http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/police-uncover-first-case-of-a-terrorist-network-operating-in-the-czech-republic-eight-charged-with-aiding-dagestani-shariat-jamaat.

[8] “Czech Police Arrest Suspected Russia’s North Caucasus Terrorists,” BNO News, 3 May 2011, 2:27, http://wireupdate.com/wires/17128/czech-police-arrest-suspected-russias-north-caucasus-terrorists/.

[9] Daniela Lazarova, “Suspected Pakistani Terrorist Arrested in the Czech Republic,” Radio Praha, 9 May 2011, 16:29, http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/suspected-pakistani-terrorist-arrested-in-the-czech-republic.

[10] See Vdokhnovlai (Inspire), Vypusk – Zima, Al-ansar.info, 14 January 2011, http://al-ansar.info/showthread.php?670-A.M.I.R-Русская-версия-журнал-quot-ВДОХНОВЛЯЙ!-quot and http://al-ansar.info/showthread.php?754-A.M.I.R-Русская-версия-журнал-quot-ВДОХНОВЛЯЙ!-quot-в-формате-doc-docx.

[11] “Informatsionnoe soobshenie,” Natsional’nyi Antiterroristicheskii Komitet, 4 May 2011, 15:30, http://nak.fsb.ru/; accessed 10 May 2011.

[12] “Informatsionnoe soobshenie,” Natsional’nyi Antiterroristicheskii Komitet, 4 May 2011, 15:30, http://nak.fsb.ru/; accessed 10 May 2011.

[13] Ivan Yegorov, “’Al’-Kaida’ v Rossii,” Rossiiskaya gazeta, 2 May 2011, http://www.rg.ru/2011/05/02/alkaida-site.html.

[14] Ivan Yegorov, “’Al’-Kaida’ v Rossii,” Rossiiskaya gazeta, 2 May 2011, http://www.rg.ru/2011/05/02/alkaida-site.html.

[15] “Na Kubany zaderzhali mestnogo zhitelya, perechislivshevo boevikam 50 tysyach rublei,” Gazeta.ru, 19 March 2011, 05:55, http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2011/03/19/n_1753545.shtml.

[16] “Baku Police Break Up Protest Against School Hijab Ban,” RFERL, 6 May 2011, http://www.rferl.org/content/baku_police_break_up_protest_against_school_hijab_ban/24093382.html.

[17] “Turkish terror suspect appeals for political asylum in Kyrgyzstan,” Central Asia Newswire, 11 May 2011,

http://centralasianewswire.com/Kyrgyzstan/Turkish-terror-suspect-appeals-for-political-asylum-in-Kyrgyzstan/viewstory.aspx?id=4026.

[18] “Power bomb placed in Bishkek school, amounted to 1 kg of TNT (Kyrgyzstan),” Regnum.ru, 06 May, 2011, http://regnum.ru/news/1402088.html.

[19] Ibid.

[20] “Suspect held for attempted bombing of Kyrgyz school,” Central Asia Newswire, 13 May 2011, http://centralasianewswire.com/Kyrgyzstan/Suspect-held-for-attempted-bombing-of-Kyrgyz-school/viewstory.aspx?id=4049.

[21] “The head of Kyrgyzstan’s security services talks about the creation of the Islamic Movement of Kyrgyzstan,” Fergana News, 03 May 2011, http://enews.fergananews.com/article.php?id=2710.

[22] “Uzbek border guards detained the intruder, who intended to illegally bring in Tajikistan, a large sum of money, said “CentrAsia”.” Lenta.ru, 06 May 2011,  http://lenta.ru/news/2011/05/06/border/.

[23]  “Uzbekistan thwarted attempts to smuggle 250 tons of metal in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan,” Regnum.ru, 14 May 2011, http://regnum.ru/news/1404534.html.

[24] “Begletzov iz tadjikskogo SIZO prigovorili k pozhiznennomy zaklyucheniyu,” Lenta.ru, 04 May 2011, http://lenta.ru/news/2011/05/04/prigovor/.

[25] “Jundullah Studies presents a new video from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: “The Mujāhid #2”,” Jihadology.net, 11 May 2011, http://jihadology.net/2011/05/11/jundullah-studies-presents-a-new-video-from-the-islamic-movement-of-uzbekistan-%E2%80%9Cthe-mujahid-2%E2%80%9D/ and “Jundullah Studios presents a new video message from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: “Usāmah Bin Lāden”,” Jihadology, 09 May 2011, http://jihadology.net/2011/05/09/jundullah-studios-presents-a-new-video-message-from-the-islamic-movement-of-uzbekistan-usamah-bin-laden/.

[26] “Uzbekistan’s autocratic President has accused the West of funding this year’s Arab uprisings to gain access to oil, gas and mineral reserves, Telegraph.co.UK, 10 May 2011, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/uzbekistan/8505104/Uzbek-president-accuses-the-West-of-funding-Arab-revolts.html.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 ABOUT IIPER

               Islam, Islamism and politics in Eurasia report (IIPER) is a project of the Monterey Terrorism and Research and Education Program (MonTREP) at the Monterey Institute for International Studies (MIIS), Monterey, California.  It focuses on all politically-relevant issues involving or bearing on Islam and ethnic Muslim communities in Russia and Eurasia writ large.  All issues of IIPER can be found at http://www.miis.edu/academics/faculty/ghahn/report. 

               IIPER is compiled, edited and, unless indicated otherwise, written by Dr. Gordon M. Hahn.  Dr. Hahn is Senior Researcher at the Monterey Terrorism Research and Education Program and Visiting Assistant Professor, Graduate School of International Policy Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, California.  He is also a Senior Researcher, Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies (CETIS), Akribis Group and Analyst/Consultant for Russia Other Points of View – Russia Media Watch, http://www.russiaotherpointsofview.com.  He teaches courses on both politics and terrorism in Russia and Eurasia at MIIS.  Dr. Hahn is the author of two well-received books, Russia’s Islamic Threat (Yale University Press, 2007) and Russia’s Revolution From Above (Transaction, 2002) as well as numerous articles on Russian, Eurasian and international politics.

               IIPER welcomes submissions of 1,500-6,000 words on any aspect of Islamic politics in Eurasia and financial contributions to support the project.  For related inquiries or to request to be included on IIPER’s mailing list, please contact gordon.hahn@miis.edu or gordon-hahn@sbcglobal.net. 

For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Gordon Hahn

Senior Researcher and WMD Terrorism Database Manager

Monterey Terrorism Research and Education Program (MonTREP)

460 Pierce Street

Monterey, CA – 93940 USA

Tel: (831) 647-3535 Fax: (831) 647-6522

Email: gordon.hahn@miis.edu