ALEXEI DOBYCHIN: CRIMEA UNDER THREAT OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS

Moscow, April 25, 2006 Interfax - Crimean Tatars in their struggle for the independence of the peninsula tend to fall under an ever stronger influence of semi-religious extremist ideas, Aleksey Dobychin, leader of Proryv (breakthrough - IF) public association.

'Crimean Tatar organizations have operated in two areas: on the one hand, there is Mejlis, which cultivates nationalistic sentiments. It does not involve religion. On the other hand, there is Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic liberation party, which is banned in Russia and some other countries', Dobychin said as cited by Izvestia daily on Monday.

It is no secret in the autonomy, the newspaper writes, that 'along with the seemingly harmless propaganda of the unity of the Crimean Tatars', forces are formed in their midst from among adherents of radical Islamic movements whose activists have openly urged for the independence of the Crimea from Kiev and for 'jihad'.

According to Dobychin, who advocates the interests of the Russian-speaking population in the Crimea, Hizb ut-Tahrir people appeared in the Crimea in 2003 and have been engaged in recruiting supporters ever since.

'They do it right in mosques. Hizb ut-Tahrir is advertised nowhere but it is already working in every district. Nobody conceals this. The Crimea mufti has openly stated that there are about 30 Wahhabi groups in the peninsula, with weapons and shooting-grounds. They have conducted exercises for urban operations, being trained by Turkish, Jordanian, Moroccan and Chechen instructors', Dobychin says.

In his opinion, the situation is irreversible, and a Kosovo-like scenario can be launched in a two or three year's time. A violent version is most probable at that, since a political solution for the separation of the peninsula will not work, he believes.