New Khasavyurt militants' leader suspected of involvement in murder of Imam Khidirov
Valid Motsaev, the successor to the killed leader of the militant grouping in Khasavyurt, tries to earn credibility by massacres, the law enforcement agencies believe.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 9, Imam Magomed Khidirov was shot dead in front of the local mosque. Investigators associate the murder with his religious activities.
The crime has become the second assassination of Islamic leaders in Northern Caucasus during the past three weeks: on August 20, in the Stavropol Territory, Zamirbek Makhmutov, Deputy Imam of the village of Irgakly of the Stepnovsky District, was found dead.
The crime may have been committed by militants of the criminal grouping operating in the Khasavyurt District of Dagestan, the "Kommersant" reports with reference to the investigating authorities.
According to the investigators, the Imam's murder may have been organized by Valid Motsaev, the newly appointed "Amir" of the "Khasavyurt" sector of the armed underground, who took the position of the leader after the elimination of Islam Muradov, the "LifeNews" reports with reference to a source in the law enforcement agencies of Dagestan.
"The activity of Magomed Khidirov could annoy a lot of regional radical forces," said Ruslan Gereev, the head of the Centre for Islamic Studies of Northern Caucasus.
The Islamic website "Islamdag.ru" called the deceased Imam a shahid.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.