The Threat of Radical Islam in Russia

Russian Islamic leader, Doku Umarov, just recently called for a Jihad over the whole state of Russia. Very few in the media seems to notice this because I either they think Umarov isn't serious, he just wants Chechnya or they just don't believe it could happen to a world power in Russia and with an iron fisted leader like Putin. But listening to Doku Umarov we notice that he dreams of establishing a radical Islamic state over Russia. In this report Doku Umarov provides us with his geographic ambition.

"The Caucasus lands will be liberated from Russia. The lands of Krasnodar, Astrakhan, and the Volga are also to be liberated.” Citing a separatist site, the Georgian publication GHN reports that, according to Umarov, Krasnodar Kray “is the land of our very good brothers and of the very best Muslims in this world,” and “liberating” that land is “the sacred duty of the mujahedin.” After that “we will liberate the other lands that Russia has occupied: Astrakhan, the Volga lands...,” the Chechen insurgents` leader threatens."

Source: "Islamist leader calls for jihad by Russian Muslims"


The radicalization isn't limited in Chechnya however; as ethnic Russians are also being radicalized. The recent airport bombing provides such a case.

"Some Russian officials believe that terrorists are recruiting more and more people like Razdobudko who are ethnically Russian, but have converted to Islam. According to Andrei Kuznetsov, a commentator on Russia’s Lenta news portal,“[Razdobudko] is not the first Slav-Islamist terrorist. These are people who converted to Islam in the chaotic 1990s when it became clear to people living far from the capital that the future was not bright. They preferred to embrace radical Islam rather than rot in an alcoholic delirium or a heroin-induced stupor.”

Source: "Russia fears increasing domestic radicalization"


Russia has also alerted the world of this growing menace even in a tough government like the one in Kremlin.

"Composed mainly of young extremists from the region’s two main ethnic groups, the Kabardins and the Balkars, Yarmuk has close ties with Shamil Basayev, Russia’s most wanted terrorist, who was behind the Beslan attack and appears to be extending his influence in an attempt to open up a new front in his war with Moscow."

Source: "Russia’s Islamic revolt is spreading"

Even the forecast on population data doesn't bode well for Russia:

"If present trends continue, the population of Russia will decline from 143 million to 100 million by 2050. Not only that, but by 2050, most of the population may be Moslem. Currently, about 15 percent of Russians are Moslem, and the average Moslem family has three or more children, while the average non-Moslem family has one or two. While Christian (largely Slavic) Russians have seen their numbers tumble, the Moslem population of Russia has grown over 40 percent since 1989 (from births, migration and conversions). There has also been a religious revival, with the number of mosques growing from under a thousand when the Soviet Union collapsed, to over 8,000 today. That means Moslem men drink a lot less, and live healthier, and longer, lives."

Source: "The Coming Islamic Republic of Russia"

Is Russia next in the unrest meter? The world better watch this one carefully.