Putin orders crackdown on Islamists, police detain 300
06/07/2013 21:43
MOSCOW – Russian police rounded up 300 people at a Muslim prayer room in Moscow on Friday after President Vladimir Putin ordered a crackdown on radical Islamists ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Putin has put security forces on high alert to safeguard the Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, which lies near to mainly Muslim southern provinces where Russia is battling an Islamist insurgency that has targeted Moscow.”We must fight back hard against extremists who, under the banners of radicalism, nationalism and separatism, are trying to split our society,” Putin said.
“The policy in the fight against corruption, crime and the insurgency has to be carried out harshly and consistently,” Putin told a meeting of security force officers.
“The situation in the North Caucasus should be kept under particular control.”
Friday’s raid, the third targeting Muslim places of worship in Moscow or St Petersburg this year, led to the detention of 300 people including 170 foreigners and the confiscation of Islamist literature to check for extremist content, Russian news agencies quoted the Federal Security Service (FSB) as saying.
The FSB did not say why the people had been detained.
WarSclerotic 
June 7, 2013 at 10:28 PM
Russia is the way to go 🙂
June 9, 2013 at 2:38 AM
Russia has a long history of cracking down on religious groups it finds offensive. I recall Stalin and the old czars were pretty tough on the Jewish population as well.
June 7, 2013 at 10:29 PM
In all seriousness you can expect major crackdowns in the run up to the 2014 winter Olympics, possibly some major actions in the caucuses shortly.
June 7, 2013 at 11:16 PM
there wont be a Russia by then just a smoldering heap,
June 7, 2013 at 11:40 PM
Dude get a grip…
June 8, 2013 at 12:02 AM
I think Russia will be safe for the time being 🙂
June 8, 2013 at 12:56 AM
The only way to go !
June 8, 2013 at 1:05 AM
As often said. Putin might be evil but he is not stupid.
June 8, 2013 at 1:31 AM
JW how can i contact you ?
June 8, 2013 at 7:00 AM
For obvious reasons I can’t publish my email here. If you donate (however small) I’ll receive your email. Alternatively, you can look me up on Facebook and /msg me there.
June 8, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Thank you.