Dzokhar-Khala/Agency Caucasus – Ramzan Kadyrov, Moscow-backed President of Chechnya, joined the Russian campaign against a form of religious radicalism that Russia now tends to call ‘Wahhabism’ and that forms the basis of the new ideological ‘resistance’ in Chechnya, among other North Caucasian countries.
Formerly, Kadyrov was harshly critical of the Chechen muftis and local officials because they did not stop supporting resisters and because they did not offer an effective way to battle against them.
He now spoke of the role of the media in a way that emphasized the ideological battle it helped to lead against crime and drug addiction. "We need to take precaution against the separatist ideology and stop it from influencing the new generations," he said.
He went on to call for assistance from journalists in the fight against what is called ‘Wahhabism’: "There are still people in the country who call themselves religious authorities and consciously misinterpret Islam. Wahhabism is a great mischief and we need not fear expressing it out loud. It is necessary to answer back those fake prophets by using their own weapons/words. The media is the instrument that we should make use of against it. I call on you to continue to stick to your principles, to be honest and self-sacrificing."
ÖZ/FT
