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egular combat fatigues for paraphernalia of a militant Islamist. 42 Even prior to this, the U.S. State
Department criticized Maskhadov for embracing Islamist fundamentalism and terrorism. 43 By
allying himself with the Islamist wing of radical separatism, Maskhadov shed his image of a
moderate and demonstrated his readiness to act together with Islamists to attempt to force Russia
into withdrawing from Chechnya by means of nuclear coercion, if not actually engage in acts of
catastrophic nuclear terrorism.
In addition to Basayev and Maskhadov, there are other separatist warlords in the North
Caucasus who have not hesitated to order terrorist acts, like the bombing of an apartment building
in Buinaksk or a holiday celebration event in Kaspiisk, which killed dozens, including children.
Beyond Chechnya, groups of militant salafites have been especially strong in the North Caucasian
republics of Karachayevo-Cherkessia and Dagestan. Perhaps the best-known militant salafite group
of Dagestan is the Islamist Dagestani Jamaat, which is led by Bagauddin Muhammad and has cells in
mountainous areas of Dagestan. Bagauddin even once declared that his organization is in a state of
war with the Dagestani authorities. 44 Other well-known leaders of separatists in Dagestan are
Rapani Khalilov, Dzharulla Radzhabbadinov, and Adallo Aliyev. Aliyev served as deputy chairman
42 On the tape, which was shown on Russia’s Rossiya television channel on September 29, 2002, Maskhadov wore
epaulets with verses from the Koran. The tape showed the Chechen leader sitting in front of a green flag, which
featured an Arabic sword and Koranic verses rather than a wolf, which has been the symbol of Chechen independence
in both first and second Chechen wars.
43 John Evans, director of the U.S. Department of State’s Russia office, told a conference in Berlin on September 9,
2002, that in recent months Maskhadov has begun to “embrace jihad elements and terrorists.” Pavel Felgenhauer,
“Russia: Is Putin Ready To Bargain,” The Moscow Times, September 19, 2002.
44 The declaration was made at a meeting of Dagestan’s salafite leaders and Chechen warlords in the Chechen city of
Gudermes in 1998. This organization’s prime goal is establishment of an Islamist state in Dagestan through a gazavat
[holy war] against both Russia and Islamist traditionalists in Dagestan. Alexei Malashenko, “Islamic Factor in the Northern
Caucasus,” Gendalf, Moscow, 2001, available at http://pubs.carnegie.ru/books/2001/03am as of July 14, 2002.
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