SAM of Dagestan blames Wahhabites for murdering Ramazanov

The Spiritual Administration of Moslems (SAM) of Dagestan is convinced that the organizers of the murder of churchman Kuramagomed Ramazanov were Wahhabites, who "for a long time consider representatives of the official clergy to be lawful military targets," the "Kommersant" newspaper writes.

"Kuramagomed Ramazanov was a supporter of the traditional Russian Islam," said Damir Gizatullin, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, when commenting the murder. "He categorically refused to accept religious doctrines, which are imposed on Russia from abroad, including Wahhabism. In his sermons, the deputy mufti rejected any forms of violence and extremism, calling to peace, accord and tolerance."

Omaraskhab Gajiev, Director of the "Salva" Muslim Centre, has also informed the newspaper that Kuramagomed Ramazanov had written many books on Islam, in which he "sharply criticized the modern trends of Islam and Wahhabism," and they have long tried to frighten him. Threatening messages were permanently sent to his Internet web site.

We note here that this is not the first act of terror aimed against a churchman in Dagestan. On August 21, 1998, in Makhachkala, at the Central Mosque, the car of Said-Muhammad Hadji Abubakarov, Mufti of Dagestan, was blown up. Mr Abubakarov was an opponent of religious radicals, in particular, of Wahhabism supporters, and his murder, still undetected, was connected with supporters of radical Islamic movements.