Igor Dobaev: "youth jama'ats" assault North Caucasus

On request of the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot," Igor Dobaev, Doctor of Philosophy, head of the sector of geopolitical problems of the South Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, gave his comments on the events in Cherkessk (Karachayevo-Cherkessia) on December 25, 2006.

In his words, the Cherkessk phenomenon is the so-called "youth jama'ats." Ahmed Yarlykapov, an Islam researcher, reported to the All-Russian Scientific Seminar named "Moslem Spiritual Structures" that these closed cells of young Moslems-radicals had appeared in North Caucasus back in 1970s by separation from Sufi communities of Dagestan sheiks.

According to Mr. Dobaev, networks of "youth jama'ats" are in place today in Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan, Chechnya, Karachayevo-Cherkessia, and in Stavropol Territory (mainly, the Nogais). According to certain available data, the process of forming the Adygea "jama'at" is underway.

Igor Dobaev asserts that ideology of "youth jama'ats" is non-sustained and eclectic: today, under the mask of "Wahhabism" Russia witnesses consolidation of most differing ideological trends in radical Islamism. Different views are observed, there are extremists, but there are also moderate adherents, ready to start a dialogue with the authorities.

Under certain estimates, only some 20 percent of young members of "youth jama'ats" are extremist-minded. However, they are proactive and inevitably become leaders of jama'ats or jama'at networks.

Igor Dobaev's long-term forecast is disappointing: "youth jama'ats" have proved their viability, autonomy and self-recovery as network structures.