Islam in Russia

Russia and Islam

• the Moslem population of the RF vary from 15 to 21 million.• Russia - an Euroasian country, the country of Christian-

Islamic dualism.• For Russia it is a part of the way of life of many millions of

Russian Moslems that have been living in Russia for centuries, for whom Russia isn’t a temporary refuge but the native home.

Islam as a religion

• The religion of Islam is the acceptance of and obedience to the teachings of God which He revealed to His last prophet, Muhammad 

Islam as a religion• The notions of justice, solidarity and tolerance are central

to the Koran and to Muslim ethics.

• The very name Islam - the Arabic root word 'salama' - peace. Islam is based upon achieving peace through the submission to

the will of Allah

• Islam is a religion of peaceable and orderly people

Terrorism Strikes RussiaSummary of the Attacks from August 24 to

September 3, 2004

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                            

Russia Plane BombingsAugust 24, 2004

Two Russian civilian aircrafts on domestic flights originating from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport crashed within minutes of each other at approximately 2300 (local time)

According to open sources, the Russian Security Service, FSB, claim that one female suicide bomber on each plane was able to detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) in mid-air, killing all 90 passengers and crew. No information is available on how the IED was smuggled on the plane. No Americans were on the flights

“Islambouli Brigades” claimed responsibility for the attack Russians officials are investigating two Chechen women as the main perpetrators

Russia Plane BombingsAugust 24, 2004

• Media reports indicate two female terrorists boarded the aircrafts at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport and may have smuggled explosives without detection or were able to detonate the explosives pre-placed on the plane by an insider (No M.O. has been confirmed)

• Volga AviaExpress Flight 1303, a Tupelov-134 en route to Volgograd, was found in the Tula region, about 100 miles south of Moscow, after disappearing from radar at about 2056 hrs

• Sibir Airlines Flight 1047, a Tupolev-154 bound for the Black Sea resort Sochi, disappeared from radar over the Rostov-on-Don region, about 500 miles south of Moscow near Russia's border with Ukraine, minutes after the first jet crashed

• The Federal Security Service, or FSB, reported traces of the explosive Hexogen, commonly known as RDX, at both crash sites

• Witnesses report seeing explosions in midair

Sibir Airlines Flight 1047Sibir Airlines Flight 1047

DestinationsDestinations

Volga AviaExpress Flight 1303Volga AviaExpress Flight 1303

Russia Plane BombingsSuicide Bombing Suspects

• The FSB suspects that two Chechen females, Amanat Nagayeva, 30, and Satsita Dzhebirkhanova, 37, carried out the attacks. Passports for Nagayeva and Dzhebirkhanova were found at the crash sites in the Tula and Rostov regions, but their remains have not been identified

• The Moscow Times reported that Russian law enforcement are on-the-look-out for additional suspects including Roza Nagayeva (the Subway bombing suspect), Imam Nagayeva, and Maryam Taburova. The two plane bombing suspects shared a Grozny (Chechnya) apartment with Roza and Maryam.

• The Moscow Times reports that four of the women are believed to have traveled to Moscow in August to carry out suicide attacks.

Suicide Bombing Strikes Moscow

August 31, 2004

At approximately 2015 hrs (local time) a female suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive near the Rizhskaya (Riga) metro station in northeast Moscow Various media reports confirm 10 casualties and 51 injuries; 49 were hospitalized (No AMCITS reported) Police said the explosion was adjacent to the Rizhskaya (Riga) subway station and Krestovsky department store The bomb caused significant facility damage to the metro station entrance - shattering doors and windows as well as igniting 2 vehicles A female suicide bomber from Chechnya was identified in the attack

• Press reports claim that a 29 year-old Chechen woman, Roza Nagayeva, blew herself up outside of the Rizhskaya station

• Roza is the sister of Amanat Nagayeva, the woman suspected of detonating the blast on board a Volga-AviaExpress Flight 1303, which crashed near Tula on August 24

• The Moscow Times reported that Russian law enforcement recently distributed photos of five suspected Chechen rebels including the two plane bombing suspects Amanat Nagayeva and Satsita Dzhebirkhanova; Imam Nagayeva; Maryam Taburova; and Roza Nagayeva

• The Moscow Times reports that four of the women are believed to have traveled to Moscow in August to carry out suicide attacks

• Roza shared an apartment in Groznyy (Chechnya) with her sister, Dzhebirkhanova and Taburova

Possible Motives for the Attack

Retaliation attacks for the Kremlin-backed Chechen Presidential Elections held on August 29. Former Chechen President Akhmed Kadyrov, also backed by Russia, was assassinated by Chechen Rebels in October 2003 Possibly to undermine stability in Chechnya, as Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses negotiation with Chechen Rebels Russian officials claim a possible connection between Chechen Rebels and al-Qaeda; Putin has suggested the August 24 plane bombings are tied to international terrorism

Female Suicide Bombers “Black Widows”

Chechen females who carry out suicide bombings missions in revenge or desperation for losing husbands, brothers or fathers who were affiliated with Chechen rebels Woman ideologically indoctrinated by Chechen-based Islamic extremists They may be socially marginalized or ostracized by family members They may be motivated by financial compensation

Chechen woman are able to move around more freely and inconspicuously than Chechen men They have a tactical advantage by wearing long, loose clothing to hide weapons

• Social customs may preclude male security guards from thoroughly searching Muslim woman

Who?Who?

Why?Why?

Russian School SiegeSeptember 1, 2004 – September 3, 2004

Approximately 17 – 35 masked men and women with explosives and automatic weapons, seized a school in North Ossetia holding over 1,000 civilians hostages, including over 200 children The attackers threatened to kill 50 children for every one of their own killed and 20 for every one wounded The rebels provided a set of demands including the immediate withdrawal and end of operations of federal troops from Chechnya and the release of rebels arrested in raids on Ingushetia in June 2003 The New York Times reported that the attackers claimed to be part of "The Second Group of Salakhin Riadus Shakhidi,“ affiliated to Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev There were over 100 casualties and 500 wounded

OverviewOverview

The Russian authorities are blaming Chechen separatists, who have been fighting for independence from Moscow for the past decade The New York Times reported that a spokesman for the attackers said they were part of "The Second Group of Salakhin Riadus Shakhidi." Salakhin Riadus Shakhidi is a battalion of suicide fighters formed and headed by Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev Itar-Tass reported that the attack had been planned by Shamil Basayev and led by field commander Magomet Yevloyev. The source said there was information that it had been financed by Abu Omar As-Seyf, who was believed to be al-Qaeda's representative in Chechnya Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov has denied that his forces were involved in the siege, but did not rule out a “Basayev accomplice” as being responsible Additional reports also suggest that Ingush rebels who attacked security forces in Ingushetia in June; or a North Ossetian-based rebel group may also be the suspected terrorists

• Shamil Basayev, leader of the Chechen separatists and responsible for the Beslan school massacre, was killed by the Russian security forces. His organization is identified with Al-Qaeda and the global jihad. Hamas identifies with and is inspired by Chechen separatist ideology.

• Shamil Basayev2 was 41 at the time of his death. He was responsible for a number of serious terrorist attacks in Moscow (such as the takeover of the theatre in October 2002) and other locations in Russia, some carried out by suicide bombers, including women. The most deadly attack was the takeover of the school in Beslan on September 1, 2004, which ended in the deaths of more than 300 people, most of them school children held hostage.