Political analysts associate attempt on Imam Chumakov with pressure on Salafis

The attempt on Imam Khamzat Chumakov may involve radical Salafis. This opinion was expressed by Alexei Malashenko, a member of the Scientific Council of the Moscow Carnegie Centre. Shortly before the attempt, Imam Chumakov "lost" the protection of the Chechen authorities, notes journalist Orkhan Djemal.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 11, a car was blown up at Nasyr-Kort, a municipal district of Nazran. According to eyewitnesses, the incident was an assassination attempt on Imam Chumakov.

The attempt on Imam Chumakov should be considered in a chain of murders and assassination attempts that permanently take place in Russia in general and in Northern Caucasus in particular. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Alexei Malashenko, a member of the Scientific Council of the Moscow Carnegie Centre.

The political analyst believes that the attempt on Imam Chumakov may involve Salafis, who are recently subjected to pressure throughout Northern Caucasus.

According to Orkhan Djemal, a "Forbes" reporter, Chumakov is a "compromise" imam, who does not want to enter a conflict with Salafis and Muslim traditionalists.

Imam Chumakov often criticized Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Evkurov, and during a certain period, he even enjoyed the support of Ramzan Kadyrov as "an opponent to the Ingush leader," Orkhan Djemal notes.

The journalist believes that later, Imam Chumakov has lost the support of Ramzan Kadyrov because of the Ingush clan feuds and improvement of the relations between Kadyrov and Evkurov.

"More simply, Chumakov was deprived of a 'shelter'. There are some people who want to kill Chumakov, and no one wants to protect him. The 'Kadyrov's umbrella' is closed," Orkhan Djemal has said.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.