GRISLY MURDER IN CRIMEA

A Crimean Tatar youth leader was found dead Wednesday in the garage of his house in Simferopol with his throat cut. Norik Shirin, 22, was a supporter of Prime Minister Victor Yanukovitch (opponent of president Yushchenko) and this political stand put him at odds with illegal power group “the medjlis of Crimean Tatar People”. Norik Shirin was a student in the economy at the University of the Crimea. He was very popular among the Crimean Tatar younger generation. His activities ranged from newspaper publishing to setting up a youth movement. He also sat on the Crimean Pariliamentary Council for Youth. Several days ago, Norik returnded from Kiev where he had obtained a licience to open up a youth radio station. Deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament from the Crimea Alexander Chernomorov suspects that Norik’s plans to go into radio business could be a motive for murder. “You have to look for murderers among those who also wanted to open up such business”, Chernomiorov said. A radio station in the Crimea is a good source of cash flow from commercials. Somebody could be jealous. Norik Shirin’s personnality was widely discussed at Crimean Tatar Internet forums. Tatar radicals often accused him of treachery, insulted and threatened him. Leader of the medjlis Mustafa Djemilev refused to comment the death of Norik Shirin saying the incident is under investigation. The horrific death of a prominent young leader occurred in the lead-up to the session of Kurultai IV which is scheduled to start December 22.