Political situation in Northern Caucasus strengthens sympathy for IS

The involvement of young Muslims in the ranks of terrorists is a consequence of the internal political conflict in Northern Caucasus and political discrimination of Muslims. No blocking of information resources will solve this problem, experts believe.

"The appeal of the 'Islamic State' (IS, recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia by the court, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") is still effective, although the IS itself has been defeated... Recruitment continues, albeit less actively," Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Director of the Centre for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"The pressure of Kadyrov's regime, unemployment, religious disagreements and war in Syria contribute to preservation of tension," Denis Sokolov, the head of the RAMCOM Centre for Regional Social and Economic Studies, agrees.

He believes that a new radical political project will soon appear in Chechnya.

Mr Sokolov has listed four factors that affect radicalization of the Russian Muslim community, namely: political discrimination of Muslims; absence of their own political projects; Muslim youth's detachment from their local communities; "marginalization of Islamic ideologists and spiritual leaders."

Johanna Paraschuk, an analyst of the British IHS Janes Centre, has noted that the official IS' channel in the Telegram continues working, despite frequent blockages.

The Telegram network's encryption keys, which the FSB is seeking to get, will not help law enforcers to prevent recruitment of terrorists, said Irina Borogan, the editor-in-chief of the website "Agentura.ru".