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| Central Asia |
| Islamic Radicals Suspected in Kyrgyz Attack |
| 2003-05-24 |
| The Kyrgyz and Uzbek authorities have tightened up border security following daylight raids on two police stations in southern Kyrgyzstan, prompting speculation that Islamic extremists were involved. Kyrgyzstanâs interior ministry said that early on the morning of May 15 a group of eight masked and armed men stormed into the regional police headquarters in the centre of Jalalabad. They beat up the officers on duty, grabbed several dozen automatic rifles and pistols, and left. Didn't even kill them? Sounds more like some local criminals trying to upgrade their weaponry, not that there is much difference between Jihadis and gangsters anyway. The attack followed closely on another violent incident in the south of Kyrgyzstan. On May 8, one person died when a money exchange office was blown up in the city of Osh. Both Jalalabad and Osh are located a few kilometers from the border with Uzbekistan. Kyrgyz police arrested seven people after the blast, and seized explosives, two pistols, false passports, and extremist Islamic literature. In their first reaction to the attacks on the police, the authorities hinted that they thought Islamic extremists were behind them, saying they had âthe same rootsâ as the Osh bombing. First deputy interior minister Rasulberdi Raimberdiev had earlier blamed that explosion on groups based outside Kyrgyzstan. He did not name any organisation, but local observers said it was clear that he was talking about the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, IMU. Some say the Kyrgyz government is concerned that too much talk of Islamic terror would cause a scare and damage the countryâs reputation. A source in the Kyrgyz government told IWPR, âTheories about evil plans by international extremist forces on Kyrgyz territory might scare off international investors.â And RFE/RL reporter Burul Sarygulova said, âThe summer season will soon be upon us. Itâs a time when Kyrgyzstan can boost its budget from tourist revenues. It appears that the authorities have decided not to lend an international flavour to these incidents.â So nothing well get done until another Bali occurs.. Whoever was behind the latest attacks, the Kyrgyz government continues to face a dual headache in the south â protests from the political opposition built around the Aksy tragedy, and the potential threat of IMU insurgency. Summer can bring more than tourists â it melts the snow in the high passes, which in recent years has brought IMU guerrillas slipping through the mountains and across borders. |
| Posted by:Paul Moloney |
| #1 seized extremist Islamic literature? A Quran? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-05-24 08:37:37 |