Resistance suppressed in Nalchik, 108 dead

Army of Free Village

"The world spat on you then you spit on it too"

During repulsion of the attack on the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria 92 militants were wiped out and 31 detained. The number of bandits who got away is unknown. Sources in law-enforcing structures say there were around 200 attackers. The great majority of them were locals aged from 18 to 30. It is still unclear who led the attackers - no less a person than Basayev, local "authority" Astemirov, or somebody else. This is not so important. The main question they ask in Nalchik is how the gang-leaders managed to gather under arms such a number of rebels in a peaceful town and send them to certain death? What the bandits' ideology is based on and why young guys are willing to kill and die in its name. Our correspondent is trying to find it out in Nalchik.

Not After Us

AFP photo

A wounded bandit was lying on the pavement in the head of Shogentsukov Street. Policemen and military servicemen were around. Behind their cordon his mother and wife cried in hysterics.
"Let me pass" - the woman sobbed - "I am his mother. He has two kids. Allow me to bind him up".
Police and soldiers paid no attention.
"Please kill me or give me first aid - the bandit implored".
No one finished him. He died himself, bleeding to death.
The witness of this scene, who told me all this, gave his comment:
"Every criminal deserves to be heard. But we in Nalchik have no psychology. You may be only good or evil. Either ally or enemy. Nobody bothers to know how come you became enemy".

The first thing you notice when you enter Nalchik is a restraint between town people and the military. People had little concern about the destiny of the attacked police officers. In return the police saw implicit enemies in everyone. They fought the foe and the town people watched the battle with cold curiosity, which sometimes cost them their lives.

Well, most attackers were locals. I started to look for the cause of the rebellion. Search for the incentive the attackers had. I tried to ask my questions to Nalchik residents of the same age as the bandits. Young people from 18 to 30. First they contemplated, then answered but wanted to stay anonymous because they sympathised with the attackers.

"I saw their dead bodies" - says Karina. - "Young guys in cheap sportswear. Typical 'narts', this is an offending word here akin to 'loser'. They did not come after us. They deliberately aimed at those in uniforms. That day all kindergartens and schools functioned. It was easier to capture them than attack police stations. But the bandits did nothing of it. I would not regard them as castaways of society. They are only extremists. On the whole they are poor people, just like us. If all inhabitants of Nalchik before 13 October had taken to the streets protesting against the authorities it would have been such an "orange revolution" that those guys would have never taken up guns".

But Nalchik residents made no "orange revolution". However by a strange coincidence the attackers wore yellow and orange bands on their arms in order to distinguish between friends and foes.

Steal, Drink or Kill

"Nalchik is a quiet trouble-free town " - Karina adds. "Clean, cozy and calm. But it only seems to be. I am 27. I went to school No.3, that one on the crest. It is near the prison. There were 24 students in my class. Only 6 of them were girls. Only two boys are now alive. And only because they left for Moscow and still live there. The rest of the boys are dead. Somebody died of overdosage, some were killed by their creditors, also because of drugs. A young guy from a common family has nothing to do here in Nalchik. He cannot afford higher education. I graduated from the academy of agriculture, at that time they called it an institute. There were 76 fellow students, and all were equal. All were simple average people. And now in order to enter the academy to study accounting one has to pay 120 thousand roubles. The same problem with jobs. You need to give bribes in order to get a job in a government agency. When I had graduated I worked in Moscow but after that had to come back here for family reasons. I have a diploma and experience but they always refused me a job if I did not offer a bribe. Pay $2000 and you are welcome to work, for example, in a tax office. But only until somebody can offer $4000 for your position. A young woman can also get a job through the bed. Again, until there comes a fresh girl.

I paid nothing and started my own business, this café. But again they throttle me! I am bound to pay a tax on the floor space. It is 22 thousand a month. This is in line with the law but absolutely unreal for small businesses. The authorities send a tax officer. We come to an agreement with him: I pay only 12 thousand and only 6K officially. The rest goes to his pocket. Thus they hold me by the throat: at any time they can close the café or even sentence me to gaol. And this happens everywhere. Only those in power live well. A year ago somebody robbed a house of the then speaker of the local parliament Hussein Chechenov. They stole 20 million only in cash: roubles, foreign currency, gold. Everybody knows it. And now, just imagine it, there come people who say: the government has to be changed because they lie to people, rob them and stifle them. Who won't believe them? Otherwise a young man from a poor family has only the following prospects: steal, drink or kill. The weak ones drink or dope. Those, who are shrewd, steal. And the most dull and desperate will make war even for a small pay. Mostly people of this sort attacked the cops."

It is hard to say that Karina displayed some exceptional picture. They take bribes not only in Nalchik. It is not only here young people do not know how to employ themselves. However such a mass rebellion is unconceivable in other Russian cities or towns. Social and economic problems only pave the way for extremism. It is a necessary but not sufficient condition. In other regions of Russia the youth simply drink heavily. En masse, but calmly and without gunfire. But Nalchik is different. Over 10 years this town and the whole republic of Kabardino-Balkaria is watched over by Islamic extremists. The authorities know it and fight with them the way they can. That is brutally and ineffectively. They force the disease underground where emerges, as the deputy interior minister of Russia, Mr.Novikov put it, "the Kabardino-Balkarian terrorist conspiracy".

'Yarmuk' Camagat

The first Islamic missionaries from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan appeared in Kabardino-Balkaria and other republics of North Caucasia back in early nineties. Already in 1993 local radical neophytes arranged for mass protests against the clerical board for Kabardino-Balkarian Moslems. Things never came to bloodshed then but the first threats to oust the authorities and impose the Shariah law were voiced publicly. After that there were the first and the second Chechen campaigns. And residents of Kabardino-Balkaria fought with the rebels. Over 100 men only from Tersky region of the republic are known to have fought against the federal forces. From Chechnya the first battle experience came to Kabardino-Balkaria. It was the skill in killing, which was available to transfer from veterans to younger brothers in faith. Local extremists acquired valuable contacts in Chechnya. Shamil Basayev visited Kabardino-Balkaria repeatedly, successfully hiding here. His cohorts also operated in the republic. E.g. the Shogenov brothers, who were involved in the terrorist attack during a concert on Tushino airfield. A female Chechen terrorist Zarema Muzhakhoyeva had undergone maxillary sinusitis treatment in Nalchik using sham papers, before she went to Moscow. The terrorist underground was being built up in Kabardino-Balkaria for a long time and very thoroughly. It was only the attack on the local office of the federal narcotic bureau last December that made them known as a serious structure. As a result of that attack four police officers were killed and almost 60 assault rifles and 200 handguns were stolen. According to unofficial information 'Yarmuk' Camagat (Jamaat) consists today of approximately 30 underground fellowships nearly 5000 strong. Anzor Astemirov and Mussa Mukozhev are considered to be their leaders. The both men are wanted by police on suspicion of having organized the attack on the narcotic bureau. Many partisans of 'The New Islam' are unwilling to bear arms. If local Vakhabite leaders are capable to bring together 150 men for a raid of death, it means they do have sufficient resources and authority with their followers.

so the islamic militants became strong and organised without anyone noticing until it was too late is that it serso?

We Planted Trees, Now It's Time to Pick Fruit

One of the nests of Vakhabism in Nalchik is thought to be a suburban settlement named 'Volny Aül', that is 'Free Village'. In the early 90s' a mosque was opened here in the premises of a former cinema theatre. Then it was considered the main mosque in the town. Recently it has been closed. Unofficially - because it was the nursery for Vakhabits. Officially - the believers simply failed to extend the lease. My next interviewee's name is Arsen, he is a resident of Free Village. He used to attend this mosque, trying to take to the religion. Eventually he got on with karate martial art, what possibly kept him out of extremism.

"Anzor Astemirov often took Friday prayers at our mosque in Free Village" - Arsen recollects. - "All Moslems seat themselves and he takes the microphone and tells us of Islam. Anzor never preached anything bad, kind of go and kill somebody. When people in the mosque listened to him many of them shed tears. He spoke so cleanly. I thought he was the most kind-hearted man in the world. They used to take over each other in the mosque. Besides there was Rasul, he spoke rigidly. He wanted us pray five times a day, pushed on us, gave orders. And Astemirov only persuaded us from the bottom of his heart. Just fancy you are a little feeble man. You have no money, you are not athletic and handsome, and girls do not love you. Such people followed Anzor. Vakhabits welcomed them most of all. Imagine: the world has spat on you but somebody needs you here. They speak to you with all due respect. Assist you with money on occasions. Vakhabits organized some events. They cleaned up territory on weekends. I remember they did so in Iskozhev Street area. Or they would hold a football match. They showed people they were for clean streets and healthy life. First they gave you self-esteem, then some physical training, next they would tell you: the world has spat on you, you should also spit on it. And the man has nothing to say against it. Actually because he is still as weak as he used to be. If he tries to object they will hint to him that he has a family. So this man takes up arms. If he survives he will become an authority. If he dies, he will be in heaven, away from all these problems.

Astemirov once said at a Friday prayer: "We planted many trees, now it's time to pick fruit..." I understand trees are us. But not every single tree yields fruit. There were those who attended both mosque and discothèques, observed the Ramadan fast and smoked grass. Astemirov needed no such people. They never yield fruit. It's impossible to bring them up to his hand. Myself am of the same sort. When I realized it I stopped attending mosque. But others went on. Gradually they made an army out of them. At first they would tell them that Moslems need to be strong, then - Moslems should stick together and allow no offence against their brothers. According to Qoran a brother's blood is saint. And who is a brother to each Moslem? All Moslems all over the globe. For example Chechens. And cops want to wipe out our Chechen brothers. And again each Moslem must protect his mosque. And here they took away their mosque. Their leader could ask: why they took away our mosque? We have done no bad things, we only prayed, so they want to humiliate us, we have to take action. Many Moslems in Nalchik now feel bewildered. Not all of them are such extremists. But I am sure the majority of Moslems here believe those people were right.

- Do you also agree with them, Arsen?

- I am no real Moslem.

- Have you personally known any attackers? They say there were people from Free Village.

- If I knew I would never tell anyone. Or else I risk to be labelled a helpmate and they can try to revenge.

"They Also Had Love For Their Town..."

The mosque in Free Village was closed up after a local tycoon and now the president of Kabardino-Balkaria Mr.Kanokov had arranged for a construction of a new mosque in the town. When it had been built all other town mosques were also closed. Properly they were no more than places of worship situated in casual premises such as hostels or leased lodgings.

"Nevertheless young people never show up in the new mosque" - Arsen explains. - "They say Islam is different there. And the mullah was appointed by the authorities. It is against the Moslem tradition. People should elect their mullah themselves."

I got to the mosque of Free Village when it was already dark. An iron gate was locked. But from the depth of the yard I could hear male voices.
"Is there anybody alive here?" - I hailed.
A shadow came forth from the wall. A moustached elderly man approached.

- Is it a mosque?

- Yes, but... Now this is a residence of Free Village authorities - the man replied. - I am a janitor.

- Can I talk to somebody of the administration?

- There's no one here you can to talk to - the man shrugged. - All are already drunk there. Come tomorrow.

He went away and I tried to verbalize for myself where our government falls into a fatal error. They err in their endeavours to beat Vakhabites by physical force. It only hardens their spirit. Young people do not follow Astemirov because he forced them to. He convinced them that his doctrine was true. It is not hard for a man with the gift of the gab. The more especially as his audience are young inexperienced people who are still unaware that there are too many right ideas and true religions in the world, by far not a single one. Temporal authorities always seem inequitable. And radicalism of Vakhabites perfectly matches the usual radicalism of the young. According to the enemy singer Timur Mutsurayev, "Only jihad - and life is clear". But instead of searching for a reputable and well-educated imam for the mosque of Free Village, a person who would be capable to outtell the cunning Astemirov, the authorities ordered to close up the mosque. And now petty local functionaries go there to get drunk. Of course they have the power to do so. However being an orthodox Christian I feel uncomfortable. It is a mosque after all, although a used-to-be one.

I asked Arsen: "One can find some reasons why thugs from Kabardino-Balkaria went to Chechnya to fight against Russians. The war there was in full blast already. But why did they make a bloodbath in Nalchik, their home town? Made a hotspot of a resort? Got their neighbours under fire?"

Arsen returned: "Did you notice that they had only fired at government buildings: police, prison guards, federal security and organized crime bureau? Houses of any cultural value, monuments etc. were not damaged. Therefore I think the attackers also had love for their town."

Yesterday in Nalchik approximately 30 women, who are relatives of the dead militants, gathered beside the House of the Government and claimed the bodies. Azret Mechukayev, the head of the medical jurisprudence bureau of the republic, said that identification of the bodies was not accomplished and relatives would not get the bodies until the general prosecutor's office gave a permission. 85 dead bodies of the attackers still are in the morgue of Nalchik.

Vadim RECHKALOV

Moskovsky Komsomolets
18 October, 2005