Several Islamic organizations may soon be outlawed in Russia

[ChrisD(RJ)]

Several Islamic organizations may soon be outlawed in Russia
MOSCOW. Feb 12 (Interfax) - Radical Islamic organizations acting in 40
Russian regions might be outlawed within the next few days, a defense source
told Interfax on Wednesday. 
"Russian law enforcement agencies reported that envoys of 15 organizations
which will probably be declared terrorist by the [Supreme] Court are
actively recruiting militants and extremists for activities in Russia and
abroad," the source pointed out. 
The militants are gathering intelligence for use in propaganda and acts of
sabotage in Russia and its neighboring countries, he said. 
"Our information indicates that many of these organizations are financed
from abroad, namely from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries,"
he said. 
On February 14, Russia's Supreme Court will debate the Prosecutor General's
plea to declare terrorist and disband 15 organizations in keeping with the
law "On Eradicating Terrorism." The current list of organizations under this
law includes the supreme military council of the Caucasus' united
Mudjahideen forces based in Chechnya and headed by Shamil Basayev and
Al-Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden. 
"If they are declared terrorist [organizations] in keeping with the law,
sanctions will be applied against them, including confiscation of property
and seizure of bank accounts and their transfer to the state," he said. 
The blacklist compiled by the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the
Prosecutor General's Office includes the Congress of Peoples of Ichkeria and
Dagestan headed by Basayev and Movladi Udugov, Asbat al- Ansar from Lebanon
and Holy War and Al-Gamaa Al Islamya from Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood and
the Islamic Salvation Party are among the international organizations on the
list. Furthermore, the blacklist includes Lashkar-e-Toiba from Pakistan,
Afghanistan's Taliban, the Islamic Party of Turkestan, the Social Reform
Society and the Islamic Heritage Revival Society from Kuwait and Al-Haramain
from Saudi Arabia.