Abdul Malik Interview 2009

Abdul Malik Interview 2009
20/04/2009

Prague Watchdog edition published an interview with one of the Mujahideen commanders, Abdul-Malik.

Prague Watchdog: Do you think that it's normal for Chechens to be killing Chechens?

Abdul-Malik: We really didn't want this kind of war, and at first we did everything we could to avoid it. But the Russians are pushing the Kadyrovites onto the front line and conducting ambushes against us. The Kadyrovites are themselves trying every means of gaining favour with the Russians. I warned the man whom I killed. But he did not listen; instead he mobilized and started shooting at us. His cousin is here with us. And he says that this policeman almost took pride in the fact that he was able to earn his living by fighting the insurgents in the forest.

We had nowhere to go. And we started a war with them. Why? On the battlefield it is the Chechen whom we face. In Russian uniform. That is, a Russian, only with Chechen nationality - but he's our enemy. In Russian uniform, with a Russian weapon in his hands, he went against his people and his religion. Therefore both our religion and our customs tell us that it's our duty to fight him. That's the only way they can be stopped. I repeat, we always warn them and urge them to give up their jobs.

A year ago I personally asked this man to resign from the police. And he sent a reply: "Try to make me!" That is why Allah used our hands to take his life away. From afar it is difficult to understand. To us here on the spot it is all obvious. These people persecute us day and night, without a break. That is why we conduct our operations against them. We have no choice. They fight us just like the Russians do, with the Russians' weapons and vehicles. We have to respond. Anyone who fights in a war will understand this only too well.

I would like to say that we haven't violated anything that is connected with the traditions of the Chechen people, the requirements of Islam. We stand firm on this. They are the ones who are the violators.

PW: But after all, you didn't kill him on the battlefield, but dragged him from his home and shot him. Is that consistent with Islamic law?

A.-M.: Today whoever takes up arms to defend the Russian government and shoots at us - they can be killed. That is our starting point. He shot a lot of our people, I know that for a fact. But even in these conditions we say, as we did before, that we will not touch a single one of those who are willing to give up their job and stay at home. But there are those who continue to fight with us, and even more furiously than the Russians themselves. They are the ones who won't allow the war to end. If it weren't for, the war would have stopped.

PW: The homes of insurgents are burned down, their relatives are harassed and persecuted. What effect does that have on your people?

A.-M.: For two years now they've been persecuting our relatives, day and night. We never touch their relatives, only them. We seek justice and retribution. All that we do is in harmony with our religion. But they burn homes, they punish our sisters, our mothers, our brothers. That way they seek to influence us, to weaken our hearts. But we know what we are moving towards. They try to harm us in every way they can. They want to destroy our spirit. But by the will of Allah we will stand on the path of Islam. We will strengthen Islam and broaden it. We believe in it.

PW: Many of Chechnya's civilians are pleased at what the authorities are doing: the authorities are building homes, they constructed the largest mosque in Europe, they're improving people's lives. Don't you see any changes for the better?

A.-M.: Kadyrov brings Tyson to Chechnya, and he'll be bringing Michael Jackson. Then it will be some artistes, some Arabs. Why? He's conducting a policy of the stick and carrot.. Beat the man, beat him and beat him, then throw him a piece of bread. He thinks that's the way to deal with people, but it's all just temporary. I swear, even the Muslim prayers they're allowed to hold today will be banned tomorrow. For no one in Chechnya today can follow the ways of the Prophet. Young people complain to us that they're being told at home not to go to the mosques. They're even being taken out of the mosques. And all the rest is just for show, there's nothing to it... If they were truly supportive of Islam, do you think we'd be against it? No, of course we wouldn't.

And all this show is being paid for by our oil. The republic doesn't even get 10 percent of the oil revenues. So why do we take their bait? They're grabbing all the oil and throwing us handouts. Telling us meanwhile that "Russia feeds us". No, it doesn't. Today, if it wasn't for the mujahideen they'd be able to send us into exile as they did in 1944. We have to remember that. They're the people who tormented our fathers, and now they're tormenting us. So everything that Kadyrov does is hypocrisy. It's just that they have control of information, of television. And they can deceive people. And our people are very willing to believe what they're told on TV. There is almost no one left in Chechnya who is able to openly speak the truth. Everything is under the thumb of the authorities. Even religion is interpreted in the way they want.

If we had an independent state, our oil would pay for a fine standard of living. That's why we've taken the path of struggle - so we can have our state, so that the Muslims can live in peace. All that is happening today is a mirage. And it will pass.. Allah is testing the Muslims.

PW: But many Chechens support the authorities. You say that you're fighting for the people's happiness. The people praise Kadyrov. Perhaps you haven't noticed that you've moved away from the people and lost contact with it?

A.-M.: I can quote a hadith. Ali's son was going to Iraq. He asked those whom he met: "What is happening there?" They replied: "The hearts of all the people of Iraq are with you, but their swords are turned against you." What does that mean? The hearts of the people of Chechnya are with us. They have all told us that. They love us, but they love us in their hearts. If they talk about it openly, they'll be persecuted. They are all living under a very heavy yoke of oppression. You just have to lift your head and you're crushed. So they're afraid. They have no weapons - they're civilians. What can they do? They have to stay silent. I don't blame them, because I understand. I live here and see it all. The people are oppressed, as in the days of Stalin. Nothing can be said openly. But in reality, people respect us and support us. If that were not the case, we wouldn't have so many people coming to join us. And they come in their multitudes. They see the injustice of the authorities and they come to us. But if any one of them says a word in support of us, tomorrow he will find himself in a basement in Khosi-Yurt, and he'll be tortured.

PW: Who is doing the fighting today? What sort of people are they, how many of them are there - what is their age, their social status, their level of education? What does an insurgent look like?

A.-M.: I can talk about myself. Two years ago I arrived here from Austria. I had a good life there, didn't want for anything. But I gave it all up and came back when I realized a lot of things. Although people may not believe it, there are a great many insurgents. They sincerely believe in Allah. And all the talk about how they have taken this path in search of money is a lie. Does one earn money by dying? What do I need money for if I can die today? Money won't help me when I stand before Allah. It will only help my deeds.

If I had wanted to earn money, I'd have looked for it elsewhere. After all, the world is a big place, you can live anywhere. But that's not the life we are looking for. We seek Allah's blessing in the next world. We want to strengthen Islam. What we have done today will help us tomorrow. Why? If we are victorious today, the Muslims will be free. They will be able to freely practice their faith. Each person will have all the rights that are given to him by Allah. And we will die on that path. Allah will give us paradise. We believe that. Inshallah! Those who have social and financial problems will not come to us. They will yield to the munafiqs. And there they will find a way to resolve their issues. But we seek advantage from Allah. And Allah willing, we will find it. Allah gives everyone what they seek.

Allah said that no one on his path will be left without benefit - either he will be victorious or he will receive paradise after he dies. We have this choice. If we are victorious, we will be open for the Muslims. We will not be criminal for them. If a criminal appears among us, we have the power to stop him. And we will not let the others do evil. We shall be for justice. Many things have been cleared up in comparison with the first war. And they go on being cleared up. After all, at each moment we stand before death.

Of our ranks I will say this: among us there are young and old, there are doctors, construction workers, graduates of institutes and universities. We have a program of Islamic studies and international current affairs. We know what we want. I am 30 years old. A time for life. But this, the best time of my life, I have devoted to Islam and the strengthening of the Word of Allah. And Allah will not forsake me! This I believe!Source: Prague Watchdog

Interview with Mujahid Kuteyb

Interview with a Chechen Mujahid

26/03/2009

In April we are going to conduct major operations" (interview with a member of the Chechen mujahid)

At a meeting with Russian parliamentary deputies in Grozny on March 25, the Moscow-backed Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov announced that the counter-terrorist operation, which has been going on in Chechnya since 1999, is nearing completion. According to him, on March 31 the National Anti-Terrorist Committee is due to pass a resolution declaring that it is over. This will be followed by an immediate lifting of all the emergency restrictions currently in force.

We interviewed by telephone a rank-and-file member of the mujahedin from the dzhamaat of the well-known Chechen field commander Husyen Gakayev. He is 28 years old, his call sign is Kuteyb, his real name is Aslan, and he is a native of Chechnya’s Vedeno district. At the start of the conversation Aslan apologized for being unable to express his thoughts in fluent Russian, as he grew up during wartime and did not have a chance to learn the language properly.

The following transcript adheres as closely as possible to the actual recording.

The editors

PW: Ramzan Kadyrov has said that according to his data no more than 70 guerrillas are left in the mountains of Chechnya. Does this figure correspond to reality?

Kuteyb: It’s certainly not true, because in our Gorno-Shalinsky sector of the Ichkerian Vilayet there are 60 mujahedin. In that sector alone. And there are a great many such sectors. Ramzan and the other munafiqs and kafirs just say what’s convenient for them. It’s something that they need. Inshallah, we are many. There are hundreds and hundreds of us. And hundreds more want to be in contact with us. The young people here are very law-abiding. They all want the word of God to be greater than Russia's Constitution and all constitutions. Our Constitution is the Koran – it’s the Sharia. To us, Ramzan is a nobody. Putin and Medvedev are not serious people. They speak for themselves. In a vacuum.

PW: Representatives of the State Duma Committee on Security have confirmed that the situation in Chechnya has changed very much for the better. Has the power of the underground really been eroded, and do the guerrillas no longer represent any serious threat to the authorities in Chechnya?

Kuteyb: I swear by Allah that the mujahedin have not been weakened. The mujahedin are many, and they now have power. This year of 2009 will be the year of victory for the mujahedin. In 2003, 2004 and 2005 we did not have this flow of young people to us. Now everyone wants Laillah illalah to be supreme in the Caucasus. All the young people want this.

PW: Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov has said that the number of federal forces in Chechnya should be reduced, since the financial crisis makes it difficult to maintain such a large military grouping. If some of the troops are withdrawn, will Ramzan Kadyrov be able to maintain the situation with his own forces?

Kuteyb: Kadyrov has little power, but when the Russian troops are withdrawn from Chechnya, the Kadyrovites will lose heart. Their spirit is generally weak. Previously it was the Russians who carried out the special operations, but now it’s up to the Kadyrovites. Their operations are very weak, because they have no strength of spirit. They’ve stopped going to work, as they’re not being paid because of the financial crisis. We have reports of this. They are already talking about leaving Chechnya altogether and going abroad.

PW: Why will 2009 be the year of victory?

Kuteyb: We think so because for the last two years we’ve been in the villages. There are the mountain districts – Nozhai-Yurtovsky, Vedensky, Shatoisky – in those districts the mujahedin are already operating openly in the villages. Nowadays we normally live in houses, but earlier we didn’t. It’s a very good thing that the people support us, understand us.

PW: But one can’t compare Kadyrov’s resources with those of the underground. Kadyrov has the support of Russia, with all its money, its military power and weapons, and you don’t have even a thousandth part of that.

Kuteyb: Yes, he has a lot of resources. He has Putin, he has Medvedev, the whole multimillion army of Russia. Even if he gets the support of America and others – the whole world – Allah will be with us. He will help us. The mujahedin have a good Iman now. And that is our weapons. Our weapons are a Dua. But we also have resources, we are doing well with money now. Many believed that when the Caucasian caliphate was declared we would have no resources. But, Alhamdulillah, it was even better here. All the mujahedin support Dokka Umarov. We love him, inshallah, and he is our Amir.

PW: Have you already begun your spring and summer season of fighting, or are you only planning?

Kuteyb: During March all the mujahedin have come out of the forest. We are located in the villages or near them. We normally move about the villages in cars. The security situation is fine. In 2006 and 2007 it was a bit dangerous, but now there is no problem. In April we are going to conduct major operations. There have already been attacks: in Vedensky district, in Grozny and other places, but they don’t talk about them because they don’t want anyone to know about us.

PW: And are there people among the Kadyrovites who are helping you?

Kuteyb: Yes, of course. They keep constantly in touch with our Amir, they work for us, they give us information. They have a normal Iman. Last year was terrible for Kadyrov. They helped us.

Interview with Main Commander of Shatoi - Ramzan Ahmadov 28th Jan 2000

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Interview with Main Commander of Shatoi - Ramzan Ahmadov 28th Jan 2000

Q1 What are your objectives of your jihad against the Russians?

A1 To raise the word of Allah and establish Islamic ruling everywhere. This is the only road to Paradise.

Q2 What is the importance of the Shatoi region to the Mujahideen?

A2 The Shatoi region is a large strategic region for the Mujahideen It is a central point relatively behind the front lines of fighting and is used to launch attacks in other regions.

Q3 As the commander of the Mujahideen in Shatoi, Sharoi-Argun, Atmikily, and Tembly, what is your estimate of the Russian losses over the last two months (since your appointment as a commander)? And what have been the Mujahideen losses in comparison?

A3 Since arriving at the mountains about two months ago, 50 Mujahideen have been martyred. We ask Allah to accept them all amongst the winners in their afterlife. As for the Russian losses, they are approximately 1700 killed and the destruction of 15 armoured vehicles, 5 Helicopters, and 1 Fighter Jet. Because of the mountainous nature of the region, the enemy primarily used either foot or paratrooper infantry in their advances. This is the reason why there is minimal loss in Russian equipment. Please note that these figures are only for the mountainous regions.

Q4 The Russian generals have been announcing for sometime now that they will control the mountainous regions including Shatoi in a matter of "few weeks". What is your response to these announcements?

A4 They have been making these announcements since the 1994 war. As a matter of face, they once announced that they would control the area in a matter of hours or two days. The fact is that since our arrival here, they have been attempting to advance in the Deber-Yurt region, the gateway to Shatoi. Praise be to Allah, they have not been able to take one metre. Even if they were able to advance past the two mountains in Deber-Yurt, there are many more in their way that, Allah willing, they will not be able get past.

Q5 Can you talk about the last operation against the Russian forces in Shatoi.

A5 The enemy has been continuously attempting to advance through the mountains. Praise be to Allah, they have failed in every single attempt and we have always been able to stop them. The last operation that took place was an attack on the 58th Battalion command center for three straight days (19,20, and 21 of January) using the Mortar artillery. Praise be to Allah, as a result of the continuous bombardment, the entire battalion was forced to retreat.

Q6 Are your jihad operations limited to the Shatoi region?

A6 Allah willing, it will never be limited to the region. At this point we are starting the highly mobile guerrilla warfare as well as mining the roadways of the enemy forces in all of Chechnya. A number of regiments have already been dispatched to carry on these tasks. Allah willing, we are also determined to carry on large-scale attacks against enemy positions in cooperation with other commanders of the Mujahideen

Q7 What do you urge your Muslim brothers outside Chechnya to do?

A7 First and foremost, I urge all Muslims to fear and love Allah, the All-Mighty. Do not fear anyone except Him. For He controls all actions and results. Regardless whether our enemy is larger and better armoured. Finally, I thank Allah, lord of every world.

Main Commander of Shatoi, Ramzan Ahmadov, Friday 28 January 2000.

Khattab's Last Interview 2002

Khattab's Last Interview 2002

"The time has come to get free from these slaves..."

Not too long before his death, Chechen Commander Amir Khattab gave an interview to one of the Arabic Internet editions Waislamah. We would like to offer you the translation of this interview, where the Chechen Commander expresses his point of view on the ongoing events in Ichkeria and in the Arab countries.

Question: What is the military situation in Chechnya like nowadays?

Khattab: Russian leadership and army have despaired of victory in Chechnya. They also despaired of killing the Mujahideen and their Commanders. Everybody saw monkey Putin on TV, when he summoned Christian priests and demanded the Church to help wounded Russian soldiers, whose number reaches thousands and thousands. Praise Allah, Who helps us in our deed...

Question: There was a report that you were seriously wounded, and that Russian soldiers are besieging the Mujahideen.

K: Yes, I was wounded. However, with the help of Allah we will be killing our enemies and we ourselves will die, but there is no way it will change the nature of our fight. We are really besieged every day, but we also besiege Russian forces every day. Russian leadership is a weak leadership, which makes a show of its any smallest victory and makes the whole world laugh at that, claiming that it is successfully fighting «terrorism». Concerning the Commanders being wounded. When any Chechen Commander is wounded, it means that he fights shoulder to shoulder with his soldiers, unlike Russian commanders or other traders of blood in other places. The enemies of Allah, generals, commanders and soldiers are working for their government: if their commander gets killed or the government resigns, it has a negative affect on their morale. Unlike them, the Mujahideen are fighting in the name of Allah, and Allah is eternal. Death of one of the Commanders only increases the inspiration and the morale of the Mujahideen.

Question: Why, in your opinion, Russian Army has not won this war yet?

K: First, praise be to Allah! Second, that's because of the persistence and courage of Chechen Mujahideen and Amirs in their intention to continue this war against the enemy. From day one the Chechen people have been ready to fight till the end to get rid of the power of Russian regime, which contradicts Islam. The army, that fights with no faith or purpose, will never win. Russian leadership was trying to inspire their generals, officers and soldiers with the claims that this war is a war against «terrorism» and against «bandits» by distributing fake video footage. Those video films were demonstrating the horrors that are ascribed to the Chechen Mujahideen: cutting off Russian hostages' fingers and ears, robberies, murders. There were also films shown about the explosions that shook Russian cities. However, not too long ago there was a documentary film shown that proves that Russian secret services were involved in those explosions and that they were forewarned about them. Russian officers and mercenaries who got paid big money are behind the explosions.

Question: What is the morale and fighting spirit among the Mujahideen and their Commanders?

K: Praise Allah, our spirit is high, higher than ever. Every day we observe funerals of Russian officers and generals in Moscow. Russian troops suffer humiliations every day. We know why we fight and for what purpose!

Question: How can the American military forces, that recently arrived in Georgia, affect the situation?

K: I don't think that their arrival down there will affect the situation in Chechnya. In Georgia there are mainly wounded Chechen soldiers and several Islamic humanitarian organizations that deal with them. Glory be to Allah, we don't need anything from Georgia. All we need is in the hands of our enemies, including Putin himself, and during combats we take what we need. Georgian leadership agreed to accept Chechen refugees and they are living up in the mountains, where Chechens have been living for centuries. None of them lives in Tbilisi. I think that Russia wants to cause friction between Georgian government and Chechens and thereby deprive Chechens of their external connections. I believe that if Georgian government intends to make any decision regarding Chechen refugees, it should announce such decision in advance.

As far as the Americans go, I don't think they are stupid enough to open up another front for themselves against the Chechen people. America has just started the war against Mujahideen in Afghanistan, and the planes just started to bring the dead bodies back home. America also has problems in Philippines, it also wants to start a war against Iraq. American economy is on the verge of a crisis, that's why the US armed forces landed in Georgia and Central Asia, in order to draw closer to Russian borders and to the oil fields of Caucasus and Central Asia.

Question: How and when do you think this war will be over?

K: From our point of view, we have already won. If we were not sure of that, we would not have kept fighting against Russian army, armed to its teeth. We will not retreat from our demands or our principles. We are standing for complete independence from Russia. The end of this war is important for the Russians, because this war costs them dearly. But for us this war means carrying out our duty before Allah and any end of this battle would be suitable for us: victory or paradise. With the help of Allah the victory is near, I don't think that Russian troops will remain in Chechnya.

Question: How did the events of September 11 affect the help that you are receiving?

K: Some of those who were helping us changed their minds and started to doubt, but praise Allah, there are also many people left who are faithful to us. Muslims are helping us.

Question: What is your opinion on the situation in Palestine? What can you say to the Palestinian Mujahideen?

K: The events that accompany the Intifada in Palestine have proven to the entire world that in reality there are no such things as human rights, UN, or international court. Today Muslims need their own Muslim UN to solve the problems connected with Islam or Shari'ah. Islamic countries no longer have the right to maintain relations with the phoney Christian heretical organizations that conduct the policy of double standards. That Intifada has also proven that the Arab rulers are slaves of the West, slaves of money and slaves of vainglory. The time has come to get free from these slaves, who are not capable of making a single decision in the name of the victory of Islam.

We all see Jewish terrorism against defenseless Muslims on TV every day, as well as that support provided by America. Arab rulers are not capable of making a single worthy decision that would put an end to the outrages committed by descendants of swine and monkeys, they are not even able to provide Palestinian Shaheed with ammunition or weapons. Today there is no greater disaster for Muslims than the power of these slaves. Arab rulers must be thrown off the necks of the Muslims, and the Jews of Israel will reap humiliation up until the Judgment Day, as Great Allah promised».