IMPORTANT: The transformation of Chechnya from mostly secular to fanatic Muslim in six years

We need to fully understand the EXTREME DANGERS of the Islamic political ideology. It appears that Chechnya degenerated from state secularism to extreme fanaticism in the course of a mere six years.

This transformation in the course of a mere six years sends shivers through my spine.

Political Islam is the worst kind of ideology one can have – much worse than even extreme communism.

==FROM AN EMAIL I HAVE RECEIVED ==

During the Soviet period the majority of people living in Chechnya were atheist. Atheism had become widespread especially among the young and middle-aged population at the expense of Islam and Orthodox Christianity. By the mid-1980s, only 12% of residents in the Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Republic identified themselves as “believers” in a religion.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Chechens tried to break away and form their own independent country. They were secular back then. The secessionist movement was motivated by nationalism rather than religion.

The Russians lost the First Chechen War and Chechnya became de-facto independent for three years. However, the Chechen people began affirming their cultural identity which was Islamic. and this made them religious. A lot of Arab mujahideen moved to Chechnya during the first war, and their influence on the Chechen militants converted many of them to Salafism. The president Aslan Maskhadov instituted Sharia to appease the conservatives and weaken the Salafist opposition.

During those three years, Chechnya degenerated into a tribalistic hell-hole like Papua New Guinea, as the various clans fought each other and indulged in beheadings, kidnappings, and rape. Even slavery made its come-back during those years.

By the beginning of the Second Chechen War in 1999, the people were already extremely conservative Islamic fanatics.

All this change took place over the course of six years.

DNow the whole republic is a cesspool of Islamic fanaticism, with thousands of Chechens having died waging jihad against Russia and in other countries.

To quote Chechen jihadi Dokka Umarov: