Chechnya

Last Updated (Thursday, 01 April 2010 11:15) Written by Laith Alkhouri Thursday, 01 April 2010 11:09

On March 31, 2010, kavkazcenter.com, the primary information hub for the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, released a video featuring Abu Usman (a.k.a. Dokku Umarov), Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, in which Abu Usman claimed responsibility for the March 29th Moscow metro bombings. In the video, Usman asserted that the bombings were retaliation for an FSB attack on Muslim citizens in Arshty village on February 11th. Singling out Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Abu Usman said, “for some reason I haven’t heard that Putin is guilty of ‘terrorism’ in killing the people who, according to his orders, were killed on the 11th of February.” Usman closes the video by repeating a promise he made to Russians in a video released in February “that the war is coming to your streets, Insha’Allah, and you will feel it in fact in your own lives, and in fact soon.” Earlier this year kavkazcenter, the Caucasus Emirate, and Usman were officially declared to be terrorist affiliates by the Russian Supreme Court.

North Caucasian Mujahideen Attack Russian Military Convoy, Allegedly Killing Several Soldiers

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Laith Alkhouri Friday, 19 March 2010 11:15

The official news agency for the Caucasus Emirate reports that on March 9, 2010, members of the Islamic insurgency in Russia attacked a Russian military convoy, killing and wounding several. According to Kavkaz Center, the primary information hub for the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, “The convoy was overrun and then fired on by rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers.”

“Jamaat Bulgar” Affirms Support for Global Jihad and Afghan Mujahideen

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Laith Alkhouri Tuesday, 16 March 2010 14:26

In an interview published in September 2009, leaders of “Jamaat Bulgar”—a Russian Tatar militant group based primarily in northwest Pakistan—acknowledge that they “are joining in the global jihad movement”. The interviewees state that “...at this very moment we stand in unity with our friends of the Mujahideen of the emirate ‘Afghanistan’ against the group of crusaders NATO and its henchmen, but it is difficult at this moment for us to formulate more plans.” Advising others who wish to join the movement, the interviewees encourage them to “store-up patience” and to “remember that Almighty Allah has prepared many unexpected difficulties for the Mujahideen." The leaders also provide a brief history of their group and call for a complete return to the precepts of Islam and Shari’a law.

Director of Analytical Information for the Caucasian Emirate Claims Large Scale Operations Against Russia “Are Not Far Off”

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Laith Alkhouri Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:05

In a January 2010 interview, Movladi Udugov, the Director of Analytical Information for the Caucasus Emirate, the leading Islamic insurgent group in the North Caucasus, lauded the successes of 2009, claiming that “Jihad is not only not waning, the opposite is true—it is increasing. The territory of Mujahideen military activity is expanding.” He also warned that “large-scale military operations against the Russian invaders…are not far off.” When asked about goals, he responded, “Regarding concessions from Russia, I was not aware that the leadership of the Caucasus Emirate aims to obtain any concessions from Moscow. The Jihad is for the complete expulsion of the Russian invaders from the Caucasus.”

Kavkaz Center: "Interview with Dokka Abu Usman, Leader of the Caucasus Emirate"

Last Updated (Monday, 22 February 2010 11:58) Written by Laith Alkhouri Monday, 22 February 2010 11:45

On February 14, 2010, Kavkaz Center released an interview with Dokka Abu Usman (a/k/a Dokka Umarov), the leader of the Caucasus Emirate, which was officially declared a terrorist organization by the Russian Supreme Court on February 8th. Kavkaz Center is the primary information hub for the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus. In the interview, Usman vows to extend his attacks deep into Russian territory. “Blood will no longer flow only in our cities and villages,” he vows. “War is coming to their cities.” In addition, he evaluates the last year of fighting in the region, stating proudly, “Our losses in the last year are greater than those figures reported by those dogs at the Kremlin who are trying to suggest that there are supposedly 100 or 50 mujahidin in the Caucasus. Our losses for the year are greater than those figures.” In his estimation, “Out of all the years that I have been Emir, this year has been the most successful.”