Ex-representative of separatists' leader Umarov returns to Chechnya

On February 17, Bukhari Baraev, who until recently held the post of special representative of separatists' leader Dokku Umarov in the countries of Europe and who unexpectedly came back from Austria to Chechnya, appeared on local television, hammered his criticism on his former comrades and called the militants who are still hiding in mountains to get back to peaceful life.

Bukhari Baraev took part in the programme named "Footholds" and answered the leader's questions. The former supporter of Ichkeria's independence asserted that he had come back to Chechnya because he understood that today it is that very free country, of which he dreamed all these years.

Several times during his performance he addressed Movladi Udugov, chief ideologist of Chechen, and now already of all Caucasian separatists, asking not to treat him as traitor; he named separatists as traitors.

Bukhari Baraev asked the members of armed underground groups and those who leave or are going to leave for the mountains to stop resistance. "I know you are sick of tuberculosis and have kidney problems. Stop. Come back home. Enough of senseless bloodshed. On both sides Chechens are dying today, it's no jihad (sacred war)," said Baraev-senior. "Think again! If you need jihad, get united with your people and start peaceful life."

"There's no reason speaking about militant jihad in the Chechen Republic, where there's no opposition to Islam and where the most beautiful European mosque was built," Mr Baraev has noted.

The Chechen authorities would not hide their joy of Baraev's return. "So far, there are still well-known figures of already forgotten Ichkeria outside Chechnya and Russia, who go on talking about some mythical fight for independence. Unfortunately, there are those who believe them; therefore, the task of the Chechen authorities is to bring such propagandists to reason," Lema Gudaev, head of the information-analytical department of President's administration and government of Chechnya, told "Kommersant" on the occasion.