Markedonov: Umarov is at war not only on Russia but also on the West

After the explosions in Moscow metro, mass media have repeatedly named the activities of terrorists as the actions of "Chechen separatists", which is wrong, as since 2004, after the terror act in Beslan, no "Chechen separatists" exist. This was stated by political scientist Sergey Markedonov, head of the division of interethnic relations of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, at the discussion held in Moscow on March 29: "Who has blown up Moscow and Kizlyar: Islamites, Separatists or Just Bandits?"

The discussion held by the Moscow Political Club of the "Rosbalt" Information Agency was attended by Sergey Markedonov, Geidar Dzhemal, Chairman of the Islamic Committee of Russia, Igor Krotchenko, editor-in-chief of the magazine "National Defence", Evgenie Satanovskiy, President of the Institute of the Near East, and Alexander Cherkasov, a member of the board of the International Society "Memorial".

"During this time, probably, dozens or hundreds times the activity of same terrorists was qualified as the activity of Chechen separatists: Chechen separatists took responsibility, Chechen separatists took no responsibility. Esteemed colleagues, the notion of 'Chechen separatists' is mainly a sign of the past. Since 2004, after the Beslan terror act, there're no 'Chechen separatists' as a political trend. Because the ideas of separating Chechnya from Russia and creation of independent Chechen nation are no longer raised by organizers of terror acts," said the political scientist.

He reminded that Dokku Umarov took responsibility for the terror acts in Moscow and noted that Umarov was the person who liquidated the Republic of Ichkeria in October 2007 and stated the formation of the Caucasian Imarat, or Imarat "Kavkaz".

"In that memorable statement he said that the North Caucasian republics, built to the ethnic principle, were invented by disbelievers, and his aim was to unite the forces of radical Islam in Northern Caucasus for action," Sergey Markedonov said in the course of the discussion.

"Moreover, Umarov and his associates state that these aims are intermediate," the political scientist continued, "as Umarov and his colleagues, if we can say so, view themselves as a part of some global Islamic ummah, viewed as a community uniting supporters of pure Islam, who struggle not only against Kafirs and Murtads, that is, false Moslems, but also together, in a uniform momentum, with those who fight in Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen."

According to Mr Markedonov, Umarov is at war not only on Russia, but also on the West; his ideology is an anti-West one in the great extent - an anti-Semitic one.

He also emphasized that the authorities and the society do not quite understand that terrorism is not the ultimate goal, but just a tool: "Fighting killers is certainly important, but it's secondary; we should also look, what ideology is using this tool for achieving its aims."

"If we sum up what the authorities have told now, they have actually repeated what they had kept saying for the last decade: "terrorists should be found and liquidated," said Markedonov and added: "What these terrorists are, what political slogans, political forces and resources are seen behind them, - no satisfactory answers were in fact given."