Interfax: Expert says there are about one million Islamists in Russia

(Interfax – October 11, 2013) Some one million Russian Muslims are radicals, Roman Silantyev, deputy head of the expert council for the state theological review under the Justice Ministry, has said, as reported by privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax on 11 October.

“On the whole, the number of Islamists in Russia may be approximately estimated at one million people, i.e. about one Muslim in 15,” Silantyev said in an interview published in the newspaper Kultura on 11 October.

Speaking about the most effective method to fight against radicals, Silantyev said that 90 per cent of it should be the fight with the use of force and only 10 per cent of efforts should be dedicated to counter propaganda, “which is effective only when used with tough actions”.

“This is approximately the same as during World War II when we fought against fascism. There is no great difference: Islamists, like fascists, want to destroy our country. Hence, counter propaganda should mainly consist of an explanation: if you do not leave Islamist ranks, you will be eliminated,” he added.

The fight against religious extremism has been stepped up in Russia over the last year, he said.

“Law-enforcement agencies seem to have realized that in this issue it is better to make the cup run over than leave it half empty because Islamists understand only the language of force,” Silantyev said.