“ISLAMISTS” ARRESTED IN KYRGYZSTAN.

Kyrgyz security services have arrestedfour so-called “Wahhabi extremists” on suspicion of involvement in twoexplosions in the city of Osh. The explosions, on May 30 and 31, killed fourand wounded eleven. Kyrgyzstan’s Internal Affairs Ministry had investigatedthe incidents and determined that that they had no political background,having been caused by incautious handling of gas. (Itar-Tass, June 11).Kyrgyzstan’s Security Ministry has recently seemed to drive state policy onreligion. The Ministry has launched a campaign against “religious extremism”in cooperation with Russian and Uzbek security services (see the Monitor, 5,11 and 12.)–VS

SOVIET-STYLE ATHEISM RETURNING TO UZBEKISTAN.