Rasul Makasharipov
Encyclopedia
Rasul Makasharipov (1972 - July 6, 2005) nicknamed Muslim
and also known as Emir
Rasul was a Dagestan
i Islamist
leader in southern Russia
. He was the founder of the militant group Dzhennet and later created the pro-Chechen
rebel group Shariat Jamaat
, which sought to unite Caucasian Muslims under Islam
ic rule and later became part of the Caucasian Front
.
and inhabitated by Caucasian Avars
. In 1997 his father expelled him from the house and he moved to Chechnya, where he became an Avar
interpreter of Arab
warlord Khattab and the rogue Chechen field commander Shamil Basayev
during their abortive Invasion of Dagestan in 1999. Makasharipov surrendered to Dagestani authorities in 2000, but was released under an amnesty
a year later.
Within a year he was assembling his own organization, finding willing recruits from young Dagestanis who had suffered at the hands of the police. According to one of his followers, “Makasharipov spoke about the necessity to stop persecution
and humiliation
of Muslims in Dagestan. He said this could be done by killing policemen.” (The Moscow Times, March 15, 2005) The organization became known as the Dzhennet (Arabic
: Paradise) group and soon started assassinating high-ranking police officials, investigators and prosecutors; the group was destroyed by the Russian crackdown in 2002, with Makasharipov being reportedly the sole survivor who remained free.
The same year, Makasharipov found his new group, the Shariat Jamaat
, which in May 2005 became part of the Caucasian Front (Chechen War)
established by the new President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Abdul-Halim Sadulayev after the death of Aslan Maskhadov
. On January 15, 2005, the FSB reported his death in an attack on a Jamaat safehouse, but Makasharipov surfaced four days later to refute these claims. Makasharipov was eventually killed in a shootout with Russian troops on July 6, 2005; his deputy Rappani Khalilov
became his successor as the leader of the Shariat Jamaat.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and also known as Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
Rasul was a Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
i Islamist
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
leader in southern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He was the founder of the militant group Dzhennet and later created the pro-Chechen
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
rebel group Shariat Jamaat
Shariat Jamaat
Jamaat Shariat, officially the Islamic Jamaat of Dagestan "Shariat" and also known as Shari’ah Jamaat, is the largest Islamist militant organization in the Russian republic of Dagestan, North Caucasus...
, which sought to unite Caucasian Muslims under Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic rule and later became part of the Caucasian Front
Caucasian Front (Chechen War)
The Caucasian Front also called Caucasus Front or the Caucasian Mujahadeen, was formally established in May 2005 as an Islamic structural unit of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria's armed forces by the decree of the separatist President of Chechnya Abdul-Halim Sadulayev during the Second Chechen...
.
Biography
Rasul Makasharipov was a native of Dagestan's south-western Tsumadinsky District, bordering ChechnyaChechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
and inhabitated by Caucasian Avars
Caucasian Avars
Avars or Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan, in which they are the predominant group. The Caucasian Avar language belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family ....
. In 1997 his father expelled him from the house and he moved to Chechnya, where he became an Avar
Avar language
The modern Avar language belongs to the Avar–Andic group of the Northeast Caucasian language family....
interpreter of Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
warlord Khattab and the rogue Chechen field commander Shamil Basayev
Shamil Basayev
Shamil Salmanovich Basayev was a Chechen militant Islamist and a leader of the Chechen rebel movement.Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against the Russian troops for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings of civilians, with his goal...
during their abortive Invasion of Dagestan in 1999. Makasharipov surrendered to Dagestani authorities in 2000, but was released under an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
a year later.
Within a year he was assembling his own organization, finding willing recruits from young Dagestanis who had suffered at the hands of the police. According to one of his followers, “Makasharipov spoke about the necessity to stop persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
and humiliation
Humiliation
Humiliation is the abasement of pride, which creates mortification or leads to a state of being humbled or reduced to lowliness or submission. It can be brought about through bullying, intimidation, physical or mental mistreatment or trickery, or by embarrassment if a person is revealed to have...
of Muslims in Dagestan. He said this could be done by killing policemen.” (The Moscow Times, March 15, 2005) The organization became known as the Dzhennet (Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: Paradise) group and soon started assassinating high-ranking police officials, investigators and prosecutors; the group was destroyed by the Russian crackdown in 2002, with Makasharipov being reportedly the sole survivor who remained free.
The same year, Makasharipov found his new group, the Shariat Jamaat
Shariat Jamaat
Jamaat Shariat, officially the Islamic Jamaat of Dagestan "Shariat" and also known as Shari’ah Jamaat, is the largest Islamist militant organization in the Russian republic of Dagestan, North Caucasus...
, which in May 2005 became part of the Caucasian Front (Chechen War)
Caucasian Front (Chechen War)
The Caucasian Front also called Caucasus Front or the Caucasian Mujahadeen, was formally established in May 2005 as an Islamic structural unit of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria's armed forces by the decree of the separatist President of Chechnya Abdul-Halim Sadulayev during the Second Chechen...
established by the new President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Abdul-Halim Sadulayev after the death of Aslan Maskhadov
Aslan Maskhadov
Aslan Aliyevich Maskhadov was a leader of the Chechen separatist movement and the third President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.He was credited by many with the Chechen victory in the First Chechen War, which allowed for the...
. On January 15, 2005, the FSB reported his death in an attack on a Jamaat safehouse, but Makasharipov surfaced four days later to refute these claims. Makasharipov was eventually killed in a shootout with Russian troops on July 6, 2005; his deputy Rappani Khalilov
Rappani Khalilov
Rappani Khalilov , also known as Rabbani, was the militant leader of the Shariat Jamaat of the Caucasian Front during the Second Chechen War, in the volatile southern Russian republic of Dagestan...
became his successor as the leader of the Shariat Jamaat.