Evkurov: instability in Ingushetia is backed by Arabs

The change of Ingushetian leadership had little effect on the situation in the criminal sphere, since militants' leaders - Dokku Umarov, Magasu and others - who pursue the aim "to create some Caliphate or Emirate" and "to disintegrate Russia - like once the Soviet Union was disintegrated" are indifferent to who keeps the power. This was stated by President of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov.

"The most fertile territory for this work is the south of Russia. The Arabs, who write fatwas for these figures: "Kill a militiaman - and you are shahid at once", are backed by special agencies, including American and English ones," Mr Evkurov has stated in his interview to the "Novaya Gazeta". According to the Ingush President, who is now 100 days after appointment, "if not today-tomorrow, not even within a month, but nevertheless, members of bandit formations will get their punishment."

According to Mr Evkurov, the militants who commit terror acts in Ingushetia and attack peaceful people and power agents have a powerful base of helpers. Those who store arms and manufacture explosives are in thousands.

President Evkurov gave an answer to the question about brothers Murat and Ruslan Uzhakhov killed in the course of a special operation on January 24 in Nazran. According to Magomed Khazbiev, head of the Organizing Committee of the Ingush Nationwide Rally, and Maksharip Aushev, member of the Committee, brothers Ruslan and Murat Uzhakhov were not militants; and they did not open any response fire, which can be confirmed by eyewitnesses.

According to Mr Evkurov, special agencies "had no aim to liquidate" the Uzhakhovs. "There was operative information, their telephones were tapped. Two weeks before that their house was searched, and components of explosives were found. The brothers were shadowed. It was not like some people say: agents arrived and shot them dead. Agents came in and offered them to surrender. The elder brother opened fire," President of Ingushetia has explained.

Yunus-Bek Evkurov has added that now every special operation is held with the presence of his representative, a public prosecutor and a district militiaman. "When they conducted the operation in Kantyshevo, they checked and examined everything. There were no facts, false signals also happen. They apologized and went away," he said.