Azerbaijan

According to Azerbaijani political analyst Rovsan Novruzoglu, a growing number of Wahhabi cells are being created in northern Azerbaijan. Novruzoglu said that all Wahhabi organizations in Russia had cells and branches in Azerbaijan's border districts. There were more than 1,000 Wahhabis in this region.

Wahhabism appeared in Azerbaijan some time ago. An agreement entitled "Genuine Islam for genuine brothers" was reached between Wahhabi organizations in the Dagestani villages of Karamakhi and Chabanmakhi and Wahhabis from Zaqatala and Balakan Districts in Azerbaijan as far back as 18 September 1994. The Dagestanskaya Pravda newspaper of 19 November 2000 claimed that all Wahhabi Islamic organizations registered in the Russian Federation have centres or coordinators in Dagestan and Azerbaijan.

According to Novruzoglu's research, 1,786,000 Muslims have been officially registered in Russia, 20 Islamic organizations are operating, and there are 30 Muslim embassies in Moscow. Fourteen Wahhabi Islamic organizations were registered in the Russian Federation between 1992 and June 2001. He said all the following organizations registered by the Russian Justice Ministry, have cells in Dagestan's northern districts: Al-Igash (since 21 December 1992), Dar Al-Ver (since 9 October 1992), Islamic Congress (since 16 November 1994), Sino (since 3 May 1996), Association for Friendship with Sudan (since 3 May 1997), Islamic World (since 7 October 1997), Nidzhat (since 4 February 2000), Al-Kheyriyye (since 6 April 2001) and Al-Kharamiyye (since 28 April 2001).

The political scientist also listed Azerbaijani villages where Wahhabi bodies had established their cells.

In Zaqatala District: A cell of Al-Igash was set up in the village of Aliabad on 4 June 2000. Cells of Sino were established in the villages of Kandag and Mosul on 26 April 2001. A cell of Nidzhat was opened in the village of Car on 26 December 2000.
In Qax District: Cells of Islamic World were opened in the villages of Lakit and Qum on 14 November 2000. Small cells of Al-Igash were set up in the villages of Qasqacay and Ilisu on 19 June 1996. The size of these cells was increased on 16 February 2001. Leaflets propagating Wahhabism are being distributed in these villages.
In Balakan District: A cell of Nidzhat was opened in the village of Kortala on 10 September 1999, while a branch of the Association for Friendship with Sudan was established in the village of Hanifa on 17 June 2000.
In Qusar District: A cell of the Islamic Congress was opened in the village of Samur on 2 April 1997, while a branch of Al-Kharamiyye started operating in the village of Piral on 15 May 2000.
In Xudat District: A cell of the Islamic World organization was opened in the village of Alekseyevka on 10 June 1998, a cell of the Islamic Relief Organization began to operate in the village of Lacat on 13 June 2000. A cell of Al-Kheyriyye was set up in the village of Yalama on 8 May 2001.
In Xacmaz District: A cell of Sino was set up in the village of Qimilqislaq on 5 March 1999, while cells of Al-Kharamiyye were opened in the village of Pavlovka and Carxi in 2000.

Novruzoglu quoted the Dagestan-based Assalam magazine as follows: "Cells of Wahhabi organizations are spreading in Azerbaijan's border districts. There are 450 Wahhabis in Balakan District, 380 — in Qusar, 150 — in Zaqatala and 300 - in Xacmaz .". The magazine cited these figures from the results of polls carried out in Azerbaijan in November 2000 and June 2001. Novruzoglu also said that an Imam heading the Russian department of Al-Igash visited Balakan and Zaqatala Districts on 16-29 November last year. He convened a regional meeting in Zaqatala. At this meeting with his fellow-believers, the Imam said: "We are strong where there is a power vacuum and lack of ideology."

Novruzoglu said that representatives of Balakan, Qax, Qusar and Xacmaz Districts had attended this meeting. The Khalifa Islamic organization, which will "unite the Wahhabis in a single front" is expected to be established In northern Azerbaijan by the end of 2001. The Imam claimed that Turkish special services guided by a 'Great Turan' [Turkic countries] ideology, want to operate in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, "but we have destroyed everything and are capable of continuing to do so."

Pro-Wahhabi leaflets published in Balakan and Qusar, have been distributed in Zaqatala, Xacmaz and Xudat, as well as in Moscow and Magarramkent (Dagestan) since May-June 2001. Most of them analysed the role of Wahhabism in the resolution of global problems by revolutionary methods.

The number of people sent to Wahhabi universities in 1998-2000 was: From Zaqatala. 21 (all men dismissed from the border police); From Xacmaz — 14; from Balakan — 17; and from Qusar — 13. These people study mainly at the following universities: Al-Azhar (Egypt), Az-Zaytun (Medina), Peygambar [as published] (Medina) and Ab-e Nur [as published] (Syria). A total of 3,280 people have been officially sent from the CIS to study at these universities.