MEETING OF OFFICIAL ISLAMIC CLERGY IN NORTH CAUCASUS CONDEMNS “WAHHABISM.”

A meeting of the Congress of the Muslims of the North Caucasus was just held in Chechnya’s capital, Djohar. The delegates adopted a resolution condemning “Wahhabism” and banning the spread of this sect of Islam in the North Caucasus. (NTV, July 25) As the chairman of Dagestan’s State Council’s press secretary, Eduard Urazaev, told the Monitor, “the government of Dagestan is no less interested than the Chechens in limiting the influence of ‘Wahhabism.’ Dagestani and Chechen clergy are constantly trying to coordinate their actions on this issue.”

This is not the first attempt on the part of the official clergy of the North Caucasus republics to join forces in the struggle against “Wahhabism” in the region. Last June, there was a meeting of the leadership of the muftiates (spiritual administrations) of Ingushetia, Dagestan and Chechnya, which also condemned “Wahhabism.”

LARGE-SCALE MILITARY EXERCISE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.