A New Twist on the Ideology of "Jihad" in the North Caucasus: News Countering Threats
How to Cite
Litvinova T.N. 2015. A New Twist on the Ideology of "Jihad" in the North Caucasus: News Countering Threats — Sociologicheskaja nauka i social’naja praktika. No. 4. P. 124-141.
Abstract
In this article we analyse the difficulties of the ideological fight against hostile propaganda of “jihad” against Russia. The main features of a global network - availability and lack of censorship - give opportunities for free promotion of separatist and religious extremist ideas. By the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 8, 2010, “Imarat Kavkaz” (“the Caucasian Emirate”) was recognised as a terrorist organisation and its activity in the territory of the Russian Federation of this international organisation was forbidden. The most known separatists’ sites are “Kavkascenter”, “Kavkasmonitor”, “Kavkazan Haamash”, “Shamilonline”. They work from abroad and have the international domains “.com”, “.org”, “.info”, etc. Extremists call their activity “information jihad”. They use special symbols and the ways of selfpresentation of “information jihad” warriors. They place photos and announcements of amirs (commanders of fighters) and sheikhs (spiritual leaders) on these sites. Extremists try to popularise the place names accepted among them, which have expressed ideological colouring, giving some words an unconventional content. Islamic terms often act as agents, such as “jihad” (“diligence” on a way to the Almighty), “Mujahideens” (“fighters”), “murtad” (“apostate”), “kaffirs” (“infidels”). Their new implied content obviously does not correspond to the traditional content: separatists call jihad the war that they declared on Russia and the Western world, they call mujahideens terrorists, and murtads Muslims working in state institutes and police. They propagate myths about a two-centuries-old and continuous war of the Caucasian people against Russia.There are some difficulties in the fight against hostile propaganda on the Internet, mostly connected with legal, technical and ideological problems of counteraction. The Internet-propaganda of the North Caucasus secession and foundation there of an Islamic state is a threat to the Russian Federation information security.
Keywords:
propaganda, extremism, separatism, terrorism, the North Caucasus, information security, Internet
References
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Eksperty vyrazili somnenie v prichastnosti Imarata Kavkaz k vzryvu v Groznom. [The experts expressed doubts about the involvement of the Caucasus Emirate in an explosion in Grozny]. 6 oktyabrya 2014 g. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Kavkazskii uzel URL: http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/250307 (data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014) (In Russ.).
Amir Imarata Kavkaz Dokku Abu Usman: Otvety na voprosy. [Caucasus Emirate’s Emir Dokka Abu Usman: Answers to your questions]. Vremya publikatsii: 15 aprelya 2012 g., 13:38 [Elektronnyi resurs] // KavkazTsentr URL: http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2012/04/15/90012.shtml (data obrashcheniya: 30.04.2013). (In Russ.).
Astvatsaturova M. A., Tishkov V. A., Khoperskaya L. L. Konfliktologicheskie modeli i monitoring konfliktov v Severo-Kavkazskom regione. [Conflictological model and monitoring of conflicts in the North Caucasus region]. — M.: FGNU «Rosinformagrotekh», 2010. (In Russ.).
Vykhodtsy s Kavkaza v ryadakh IGIL. 30 oktyabrya 2014. [Caucasians in the ranks of the LIH]. J. Kavkazskii uzel. [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/251513/ (data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Glavar’ «Imarata Kavkaz» osudil sotrudnichestvo Umara Shishani s IGIL i prizval boevikov vozvrashchat’sya na «dzhikhad» v Rossiyu. 25.06.2014. [The leader of “Caucasus Emirate" condemned Umar Shishani cooperation with LIH and urged the militants to return to the “jihad" in Russian]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Voennyi obozrevatel’ URL: http://warsonline.info/severniy-kavkaz/glavar-imarata-kavkaz- osudil-sotrudnichestvo-umara-shishani-s-igil.html (data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Zanyatost’ i bezrabotitsa v Rossiiskoi Federatsii v aprele 2014 goda (po itogam obsledovanii naseleniya po problemam zanyatosti). [Employment and unemployment in the Russian Federation in April 2014 (based on population surveys on employment)]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Sait Federal’noi sluzhby gosudarstvennoi statistiki URL: http://wwwgks.ru/bgd/free/b04_03/IssWWW.exe/Stg/d03/103.htm (data obrashcheniya: 20.10.2014). (In Russ.).
Idigov A. Kavkaz i Konfederatsiya. [The Caucasus and the Confederation]. Data publikatsii 6 dekabrya 2008 g. [Elektronnyi resurs]. IchkeriyaInfo URL: http://ichkeria.info/content/ view/3758/71/ (data obrashcheniya: 10.09.2010). (In Russ.).
Il’in E. P. Ob otsenkakh terroristicheskikh ugroz i podkhodakh Rossiiskoi Federatsii k protivodeistviyu terrorizmu. [On estimates of terrorist threats and approaches of the Russian Federation to Counter Terrorism]. J. Vestnik Natsional’nogo antiterroristicheskogo komiteta. — 2012. № 2(07). — S. 10—15. (In Russ.).
Il’in E. P. Sredstva massovoi informatsii v sisteme protivodeistviya ideologii terrorizma. Sostoyanie i perspektivy razvitiya. [The media in the system to counter terrorist ideology. Status and prospects of development]. J. Vestnik Natsional’nogo antiterroristicheskogo komiteta, 2013, № 2(09). S. 8—13. (In Russ.).
Informatsionnyi dzhikhad: bolee 3 millionov. [Information Jihad: more than 3 million]. Vremya publikatsii 23 avgusta 2009 g., 10:54 [Elektronnyi resurs]. KavkazTsentr URL: http://www.kavkazcenter. com/russ/content/2009/08/23/67558.shtml (data obrashcheniya: 10.09.2010). (In Russ.).
Istoki konfliktov na Severnom Kavkaze: monografiya. [The origins of the conflicts in the Northern Caucasus]. Pod. Red. I. V. Starodubovskaya, D. V. Sokolov. — M.: Izd. Dom «Delo» RANKhiGS, 2013. — 280 s. (In Russ.).
«Kavkazskii uzel» ne podtverzhdaet svedeniya FSB o snizhenii chisla teraktov v dva raza. [‘‘Caucasian Knot” does not confirm the details of the FSB to reduce the number of terrorist attacks twice]. 14 oktyabrya 2014 [Elektronnyi resurs]. Kavkazskii uzel URL: http://wwwkavkaz-uzel.m/articles/250742/(data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Kebekov Aliskhab Alibulatovich [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: http://www.kavkaz- uzel.ru/articles/239677 (data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Kolpashnikov V. M. Vakhkhabizm kak yavlenie: ideologiya, istoriya i sovremennost’. [Wahhabism as a phenomenon: ideology, history and modernity]. J. Vestnik Natsional’nogo antiterroristicheskogo komiteta, 2013,№ 2(09). S. 80—93. (In Russ.).
Krasinskii V. V. O nekotorykh problemakh protivodeistviya ekstremistskoi i terroristicheskoi deyatel’nosti severokavkazskogo bandpodpol’ya v seti Internet. [On some problems of countering extremist and terrorist activities of the North Caucasus thugs on the Internet]. J. Vestnik Natsional’nogo antiterroristicheskogo komiteta, 2013,№ 2(09). S. 95—101. (In Russ.).
Markin V. V. Formirovanie rossiiskoi identichnosti kak faktor protivodeistviya ideologii ekstremizma i terrorizma: regional’nyi aspekt. [Formation of Russian identity as a factor in countering the ideology of extremism and terrorism: the regional dimension]. J. Vlast’. 2014. № 6. S. 120—127. (In Russ.).
Natsional’nyi antiterroristicheskii komitet Rossii. Informatsionno-analiticheskii portal. [National Anti-Terrorist Committee of Russia. information portal]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. J. URL: http://www.nak.fsb.ru (data obrashcheniya: 20.09.2014). (In Russ.).
Prestupnost’ v regionakh v 2013 g. [Crime in the region in 2013]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. J. Portal pravovoi statistiki. General’naya prokuratura RF URL: http://www.crimestat. ru/regions chart total (data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Saitov .A., Mironov A. E., Korolev A. V. Protivodeistvie kiberterrorizmu — vazhneishaya zadacha obespecheniya informatsionnoi bezopasnosti. [Countering cyber terrorism — the most important task of information security]. J. Vestnik Natsional’nogo antiterroristicheskogo komiteta. — 2012. № 2(07). — S. 72—79. (In Russ.).
SKFO — lider po kolichestvu teraktov v strane. [SKFO — leader in the number of terrorist attacks in the country]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Rossiiskoe informatsionnoe agentstvo FederalPress URL: http://fedpress.ru/news/society/news crime/1394657758-skfo-lider- po-kolichestvu-teraktov-v-strane (data obrashcheniya: 20.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Spitsina A. Yu. Kategorii naseleniya, podverzhennye vliyaniyu ideologii terrorizma, formy i metody vozdeistviya na nikh pri provedenii profilakticheskikh meropriyatii. [Categories of people that are affected by the ideology of terrorism, forms and methods of influence on them during the preventive measures]. J. Vestnik Natsional’nogo antiterroristicheskogo komiteta. — 2012. № 2(07). — S. 18—23. (In Russ.).
Struktura bezrabotnykh po vozrastnym gruppam v Rossiiskoi Federatsii v 2012 g. [The structure of the unemployed by age groups in the Russian Federation in 2012]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Sait Federal’noi sluzhby gosudarstvennoi statistiki. Trud i zanyatost’ v Rossii — 2013 g. URL: http://www.gks.ru/bgd/regl/b13_36/Main.htm (data obrashcheniya: 10.11.2013). (In Russ.).
Federal’nyi zakon ot 25.07.2002 № 114 «O protivodeistvii ekstremistskoi deyatel’nosti» (red. ot 02.06.2013). [On Countering Extremist Activity]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Konsul’tant Plyus URL: http://base.consultant.ru/cons/cgi/online. cgi?req=doc;base=LAW;n=139786 (data obrashcheniya: 20.10.2014). (In Russ.).
Khalidov V. Terrorizm est’ summa agressivnosti i nevezhestva. [ Terrorism is the sum of aggression and ignorance]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Kavkazcenter Viskhana Khalidova URL: http://kavkazcenter. at.ua/news/terrorizm_est_summa_agressivnosti_i_nevezhestva/2012-04-02-95 (data obrashcheniya: 10.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Khalidov V. Kto vprave nazyvat’sya shakhidom? [Who has the right to be called a martyr?]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Kavkazcenter Viskhana Khalidova URL: http://kavkazcenter.at.ua/news/ kto vprave nazyvatsja shakhidom/2011-11-01-71 (data obrashcheniya: 10.11.2014). (In Russ.).
Khalidov V. Nazhivka dlya legkovernykh. [Bait for the gullible]. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Kavkazcenter Viskhana Khalidova URL: http://kavkazcenter.at.ua/news/nazhivka dlya legkovernykh/2010-14-05-21 (data obrashcheniya: 05.10.2013). (In Russ.).
Eksperty vyrazili somnenie v prichastnosti Imarata Kavkaz k vzryvu v Groznom. [The experts expressed doubts about the involvement of the Caucasus Emirate in an explosion in Grozny]. 6 oktyabrya 2014 g. [Elektronnyi resurs]. Kavkazskii uzel URL: http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/250307 (data obrashcheniya: 08.11.2014) (In Russ.).
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Litvinova, T. N. (2015) ’A New Twist on the Ideology of "Jihad" in the North Caucasus: News Countering Threats’, Sociologicheskaja nauka i social’naja praktika, (4), pp. 124-141. Available at: https://www.jour.fnisc.ru/index.php/socnp/article/view/3098 (Accessed: 17May2025).
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UNTITLED
Publisher: Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FCTAS RAS)