Experts name reasons of interest of Chechen youth in IS’ ideology

Young people in Chechnya are interested in the ideology of the "Islamic State" (IS) because of their families’ plight, discontent with the authorities’ lawlessness and injection of religious dogmas, experts have stated.

Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, the head of the project for Russia of the International Crisis Group (ICG), pointed out that teenagers are at risk because they are experiencing a period of personal transformation, adding that religious ideologies "have become the main form of political self-expression" in the republic.

Also, in her opinion, Chechnya has a strong tradition of oral transfer of history, including about the past wars, and this "military trauma" has passed over to children.

Besides, Ms Sokiryanskaya believes that children live in a society with a strong social stratification. According to her story, three-quarters of the Chechen population live on the brink of poverty.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the Chair of the “Civil Assistance” Committee, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that she had no data about any mass support of the IS by Chechen youth, moreover, by successful youngsters.

In her opinion, not only Ramzan Kadyrov's regime in Chechnya, but also everything else that happens to Chechens, when they are sometimes unreasonably suspected of terrorism, may force people to leave for Syria.

Professor Alexei Malashenko, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Foundation, said that we should not treat anyone, who is interested in the idea of Islamic state, as a potential terrorist.

According to his version, the support of the idea of building a Sharia state is independent on the level of wealth and social status.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.