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. For the complete article, please visit: http://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/a-brief-history-of-islamic-fundamentalism-in-chechnya-4803/ A Brief History of Islamic Fundamentalism in Chechnya By: Daniel Bodirsky April 22th, 2013 After days of media ruminating on the identity of the Boston bombers, it emerged that the suspects are in fact of Chechen descent. What followed was a predictable torrent of simplistic characterizations, portraying the Chechens as a people with a long history of global Islamic radicalism. This is however false on a number of counts. The Chechen people have a long and storied history of violent conflict with their Russian neighbours. Resistance to Russian rule is a chief component of Chechen identity, beginning with Peter the Great’s incursions into the Northern Caucasus in the early 18th century. Chechnya and Russia have fought a number of wars, the most prominent of which being the two devastating conflicts of the 1990s. Chechens have not forgotten Stalin’s forced expulsion of their people to Central Asia in 1944, which led to the deaths of nearly one fifth of all Chechens. This incident remains the single-most traumatic event in Chechen history. Though fundamentalist Chechens have fought prominently in conflicts abroad (Former CIA operative Gary Schroen notes that Chechen fighters were among the most determined enemies in Afghanistan), these extremist groups hardly comprise a majority in Chechnya. While a Muslim-majority region of the North Caucasus, the variant of Islam indigenous to Chechnya is Sufism. Adherents to this mystic sect emphasize a personal union with God, and are noted for their reverence of Sufi scholars and saints. They have long been persecuted by mainstream schools of Islam and hardly fit the popular image of Salafi fighters waving the black flag of al-Qaeda. For the complete article, please visit: http://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/a-brief-history-of-islamic-fundamentalism-in-chechnya-4803/  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2013 Geopoliticalmonitor.com, All rights reserved.  You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.  Our mailing address is:  Geopoliticalmonitor.com 5700-100 King Street West Toronto, On M5X1C7 Canada