People in Dagestan are indignant with statements of editor-in-chief of "Chernovik" that population supports militants

The residents of Dagestan, with whom the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent managed to talk, have expressed their discontent with the statements of Nadira Isaeva, editor-in-chief of the Dagestan-based newspaper "Chernovik", that the population approves the actions of the militants who shot dead 11 persons in Buinaksk.

The pretext for the scandal was in Ms Isaeva's comments to the "Echo Moskvy" Radio (on 14.08.2009 at 2:13 p.m.: "They Shoot again in Northern Caucasus"), where she said that "the attack on a sauna in Dagestan has nothing to do with revelry of banditism, but embodies the struggle of local residents for the morals, since saunas are contrary to the laws of Shariat."

"Do we have the laws of Shariat set up in Dagestan? Why should bandits dictate to residents what to do and what not to do?" Nariman, a resident of Makhachkala, said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "And why should Isaeva speak on behalf of all Dagestanians?"

An employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Dagestan, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that Nadira Isaeva's statements "are blasphemous and play into the hands of extremists."

So far, Nadira Isaeva herself is inaccessible for comments.