Chechen President Kadyrov: We Will Annihilate Terrorists Returning to Russia and Chechnya from Syria

Following are excerpts from an interview with Chechen Republic President Ramzan Kadyrov, which aired on Sky News Arabia on April 6, 2013.

Interviewer: According to some reports from Syria, there are Chechens fighting against the Syrian government. What do you know about this?

Ramzan Kadyrov: If there had been real [Chechen] fighters operating in Syria, it would have been an entirely different story. But all that has been said about this is not true.

There are only some criminals who were gathered in Turkey by a former leader of the so-called "Shari'a Court of Ichkeria." True, he is a Chechen national, but he was banished from our country, because he distorts the image of Chechnya, by recruiting mercenaries who have nothing to do with our people or our religion. He gives them thousands of dollars and the opportunity to loot and pillage there. If Chechens were really fighting there, the entire world would know about it.

These people have no goal. They are distorting Islam and do not represent Chechnya.

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Interviewer: Are you concerned that these people might return to Chechnya or Northern Caucasus?

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Ramzan Kadyrov: I have devoted my life to the persecution of these devils. There more they are – the better for me. The Prophet Muhammad commanded us to punish people like them. They say that I am a hypocrite and an apostate, even though I have a beard. How can they claim to be fighting for Islam, when they do not know [what it is]?

If these devils appear in Russia, I will personally lead the operation of annihilating them.

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Traditional Islam is about the Koran and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad. This is what we were brought up to believe, and it will remain so forever. Other currents, like the Wahhabis or the Salafis, are un-Islamic innovations, as far as we Chechens are concerned, and they have no place in Chechnya or Russia in general.

They are evil, and they betray the teachings of Islam, as well as the commands of Allah and His Prophet. They are like devils, who must be annihilated. We will not allow them to appear in our republic or in Russia. Despite all their activities, they will lose in the end.

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I would like very much for Russia and Chechnya to have good relations with Abu Dhabi and the rest of the Arab world. President Putin supports the Arab world. Since 26 million Muslims live in Russia, it is only logical for Russia to become an ally of the Arabs. Therefore, we will not be intimidated by Europe and the West. We will refrain from buying unnecessary good from them, including weapons.

I believe that the Arabs are very smart. They are even smarter than the Jews. They will make the right choice.

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