« Iran: Muslim Cleric Supports Wife-Battering |
| Thailand: Soldier Shot In Market In Muslim South »
October 26, 2006
Russia: Muslim Schools Proposed To Combat Terrorism
News from Interfax-Religion states that the first deputy minister of the interior in Russia, Alexander Chekalin, has made an unusual proposal. He has suggested that Islamic theological schools should be set up.
The reason for the setting up these schools would be to prevent young people travelling "to countries of Islamic persuasion for training". He also suggested that individuals who involve young people in extremist activities and have thitherto managed to avoid responsibility, should in future avoid their immunity. He wants to see the law regarding these individuals to be clarified.
Chekalin was speaking on Wednesday at a Federation Council hearing. He suggested that the Islamic schools should be set up in Moscow, Ufa, Kazan and "probably in the North Caucasus".
His proposals also included improved legislation "to prevent the export of extremist text-books, funds and emissaries, whose number has grown lately, to the Russian Federation."
He stated that legal articles on "mass disorders" and "destruction of and damage to cultural monuments" should be aligned to federal legislation aiming to oppose extremism. This would be achieved by adding qualifying evidence to the articles, that disorders or damage were committed "on the grounds of ideological, political, racial, ethnic or religious hatred."
Chekalin also wanted extremist offences to carry a greater penalty, in excess of five years' jail. He claimed that more than 10,000 citizens are registered by interior agencies as "participants one way or another in extremist organizations".
With the internet, Islamic extremism is not going to be prevented by theological colleges. As long as people have access to the web, they can find extremist preaching and texts. Geographic travel is not the only means by which people become associated with extremist ideologies. By setting up such colleges, there is a possibility that intense study of Islam of itself could engender extremism.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 26, 2006 9:51 PM
Comments
disappointed, i thought the russians had more balls.
Posted by: StillFedUp ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.westernresistance.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 27, 2006 11:15 AM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)