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| {{NPOV}}{{disputed}} {{Politics of Kazakhstan}}'''Terrorism in Kazakhstan''' plays an increasingly important role in determining its ]. The ]'s ] efforts in ], led by the ],<ref name=USGLED> Center for Defense Information</ref> have brought bilateral relations between the two nations to an all time high.<ref name=GOODRELATIONS> The White House</ref> However no terrorist attack has ever been carried out successfully in Kazakhstan, though Kazakh officials claim to have uncovered and prevented planned attacks.<ref name=THREATS> Uyghur American Association</ref> | |||
| Vyacheslav Kasymov, Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-terrorist Center of the ], has accused the Kazakh government of giving refuge to terrorist organizations<ref name=KENTAI> Eurasia Daily Monitor</ref>, an accusation the Kazakh Foreign Ministry denies.<ref name=SHELTERING> Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations</ref> The ] and ] have criticized the ]'s policy of transferring terrorist suspects to neighboring countries, specifically ], where HRW says suspects face torture.<ref name=SHAMSUDINOV> Human Rights Watch</ref><ref name=MAYDEPORTED> Scoop Independent News</ref> | |||
| ==Banned Organizations== | |||
| On ] 2006 the Supreme Court approved a revised list of banned organizations under anti-terrorist laws and the Prosecutor General released the list. The organizations the government has banned are the ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] (in ]), ] (in ]), ], ], and the ].<ref name=TERRORORG> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> When the Supreme Court initially added the JCMA and six other organizations to its list in March 2006, critics claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood and Lashkar-e-Toiba do not operate in Kazakhstan on a level sufficient to justify inclusion in the list. Saulebek Zhamkenuly, press secretary for the Prosecutor-General's Office, said, "It doesn't mean all these organizations are active in Kazakhstan. The decision to ban them is a preventive measure. These organizations are considered as terrorist in the ], the United States, ], Uzbekistan, and ]."<ref name=HT> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| The Supreme Court added ] and the ] to the list of banned terrorist organizations on ] 2006. Both organizations have members in Kazakhstan.<ref name=SHINRIKYO> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| ===Ties between the organizations=== | |||
| Kyrgyz and Uzbek government officials claim that there are ties between Hizb-ut-Tahrir, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and the ] group ].<ref name=KYRGYZJIHAD> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref><ref name=HT/> Kazakh Prosecutor-General ] asked the Astana City Court to ban HuT on ] 2005. Press secretary Zhamkenuly said it is "very probable that Hizb ut-Tahrir has connections with the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and other extremist groups. Therefore, under the Kazakh law banning extremism, we have every reason to outlaw Hizb ut-Tahrir's activities on Kazakh territory."<ref name=HT/>. The anti-Karimov nature of the seized material aroused the suspicion that the group was affiliated with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). But the security services of Kazakhstan found no evidence to confirm that the members of Hizb ut-Tahrir had any links to the IMU.<ref name=TERRORLITERATURE> Central-Asia Caucasus Institute, Silk Road Studies Program</ref> | |||
| Vitaly Ponomaryov, the director of the Moscow-based Memorial's program for monitoring human rights in Central Asia, tells RFE/RL that the foremost "common enemy" of Tashkent and Bishkek is Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT).<ref name=HT/> | |||
| <blockquote> "...the number of cases of detention of Hizb ut-Tahrir members has been on the rise in southern and northern Kyrgyzstan...In many cases, laws have been violated charges were falsified. We have reason to that the courts will give lengthier prison terms and tougher punishments . This strengthening of repression is unjustified because Hizb ut-Tahrir is a nonviolent organization."<ref name=HT/> </blockquote> | |||
| ===Aum Shinrikyo and East Turkestan Liberation Organization=== | |||
| Askar Amerkhanov, deputy chief of staff of Kazakhstan's counterterrorism center, asked the Prosecutor-General's Office and the Supreme Court to add ] and the ] to the list of banned terrorist organizations on ] 2006. Amerkhanov said the KNB prevented an Aum Shinrikyo cell from forming in ].<ref name=AMERKHANOV> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| The Supeme Court added both organizations to the list on ] 2006.<ref name=SHINRIKYO> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| ===Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan=== | |||
| {{Terrorism}}{{main|Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan}} | |||
| From ]-] 2004 two ]ers set off bombs in ], Uzbekistan. The bombings killed 47 people, 33 of whom were terrorists and 14 were bystanders and policemen.<ref name=IMUJAMAOT>] allies behind the attacks.] National Review Online</ref> The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Islamic Jihad claimed responibility. ] ] claimed the perpetrators were ex-members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir.<ref name=IMUIJ> The Heritage Foundation</ref> | |||
| The Uzbek security service's intelligence, according to '']'', proves the involvement of Jamaat of Central Asian Mujahedins members. Tashkent police found a mobile phone used by the terrorists at the site of one of the bombings. The police later found that the terrorists had called associates in Kazakhstan. Police from both nations agreed to work together in investigating the bombing.<ref name=PHONE> Pravda</ref><ref name=MILITARY> Payvand</ref> | |||
| According to Tanya Costello, an analyst for ], the IMU has been nearly destroyed by the counter-terrorism efforts of the U.S., Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.<ref name=FAVORITE> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| ===Hamas=== | |||
| {{main|Hamas}} | |||
| The ] invited Hamas leaders to Kazakhstan in 2006.<ref name=RELTHRET> Jamestown Foundation</ref> | |||
| ===Hizb-ut-Tahrir=== | |||
| {{main|Hizb-ut-Tahrir}} | |||
| Hizb-ut-Tahrir is banned in ], ], and ]. The Kyrgyz government banned HuT after Kyrgyz officials claimed that HuT had declared "]" against the country's law-enforcement agencies on 19 July 2006. Uzbek President Islam Karimov had twice called on the Kyrgyz Government to shutdown HuT activities in Kyrgyzstan before the government added it to their list of banned organizations. | |||
| Hizb-ut-Tahrir first appeared in Kazakhstan in the south in the ]. Beibut Saparaly, a cleric at the Astana-based Kaganat religious education center, said in March 2005 that the "idea to ] is supported by many youth. Some years ago, we heard that ] had support in ] and in ]. But lately, particularly after Qurban-Ayt, we learned that ] leaflets had been distributed in all mosques in the southern capital of Almaty."<ref name=HT/> Kazakh police have arrested HuT members in the southern Kazakhstan for several years, but the first arrests of members in northern Kazakhstan were in 2004.<ref name=MILITARY/> ''Novoye Pokoleniye'' has attributed the popularity of Hizb-ut-Tahrir to the social and economic conditions of the populace. One journalist wrote that ], ], and the "proximity of trouble spots allow various types of 'teachers' to act very freely there." Additionally, as "one head cell is cut off," it is "replaced by several new ones."<ref name=STATETERRORISM> UCLA International Institute</ref> | |||
| On ], 2005 police in ], Kazakhstan found Hizb-ut-Tahrir books and leaflets in the attic of a resident's home. The books were written in ], ], and ]. Police charged the resident with distributing extremist literature and encouraging religious strife. According to Marat Yermukanov of '']'', "reports say" the resident "bought these publications at the market... to distribute the teachings of Hizb-ut-Tahrir" in Kentai. Kentai is "fertile ground" for Hizb-ut-Tahrir because of the poor economy and the government's "indifference to their woes." Yermukanov said that most police raids targeted HuT cells.<ref name=KENTAI/> | |||
| Three days later, on ], Almaty police shut down an HuT printing facility, taking 12,400 leaflets and 53 booklets from an apartment building.<ref name=KENTAI/> | |||
| The Kazakh government found the first Hizb-ut-Tahrir cell in Kentai in 2000. The HuT presence in Kazakhstan then spread in the country, primarily in southern Kazakhstan.<ref name=KENTAI/> | |||
| Beksultan Sarsenov, first deputy head of the CIS Anti-Terrorist Center, said Hizb-ut-Tahrir and ] nationalists were the greatest threats to Kazakhstan's security. Sarsenov said that a "small group" of religious bigots and nationalists "think the country is only for Kazakhs" and "nationalist Russians who are convinced that they have the right to certain part of Kazakhstan's territory" threaten Kazakhstan.<ref name=KENTAI/> | |||
| In the spring and summer of 2004 bombings in Uzbekistan killed more than 50 people. The Uzbek Government attributed the bombings to HuT. Suspects charged for the bombings were said to be trained at a terrorist camp in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh Government denied the allegation, but conceded that the defendants had at one point lived in the Shymkent Oblast, which they reached by crossing the border illegaly.<ref name=HT/> | |||
| Government critics say ] has used the extremism card ahead of a presidential poll due to be held in December 2006. Yevgenii Zhovtis, the head of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, said: <blockquote>"Ahead of presidential elections, the situation worsens catastrophically. Under the pretext of the fight against terrorism and extremism, the crackdown is clearly strengthening....Hizb ut-Tahrir poses little threat to Kazakhstan's security."<ref name=HT/></blockquote> | |||
| KNB officials detained an ethnic Uzbek and alleged member of HuT in Taraz, South Kazakhstan in April 2006. The KNB accused him of organizing a HuT cell in Qoqon, Uzbekistan and extradited him to Uzbekistan. In December 2005 the KNB extradited Rustam Chagilov, a suspected terrorist, to Russia.<ref name=RELTHRET/> | |||
| Kenzhenbulat Beknazarov, spokesman for the KNB announced on ] 2006 in ] that a HuT network active in multiple towns had been shutdown. Beknazarov said, "Computers, more than 25,000 pamphlets, some 70 copies of religious extremist books and advanced printing equipment were confiscated during our searches." Routes used to smuggle in extremist literature and foreign funding were also shutdown.<ref name=BEKNAZAROV> Interfax-Religion</ref> | |||
| ===] Incident=== | |||
| '']'' interviewed Vyacheslav Kasymov, Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-terrorist Center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and published the interview on ]. In the interview Kasymov accused the Kazakh Government of giving refuge to terrorist organizations, specifically the business organisation named the ] which belongs to the same tribe as, but is not connected to ], and which operated in ]. In November 2004 the Supreme Court ruled against the company's claim to 700 hectares of land in Astana. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry issued a statement two days later, on ], calling Kasymov's statements <blockquote> "absolutely incompatible with the status of a head of the structure of a large international organization and casts a shadow of doubt on the reputation and position of the SCO in the contemporary world." </blockquote> The statement noted the Kazakh government has signed 12 UN anti-terrorist conventions.<ref name=KENTAI/> The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has since characterized Kasymov's comments as "inappropriate" and "totally deprived of the spirit of the basic documents of " because "There weren’t and there are not any terrorists' bases or camps on the soil of Kazakhstan."<ref name=SHELTERING/> | |||
| ===Jamaat of Central Asian Mujahedins=== | |||
| In 2004 National Security Committee (KNB) officials claimed they had shutdown the Jamaat of Central Asian Mujahedins.<ref name=JCAM> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> However, in 2006, they again claimed to have foiled a terrorist plot orchestrated by JCAM members.<ref name=MINENKOV> ISN Security Watch</ref> | |||
| ====2004==== | |||
| Vladimir Bozhko, first deputy chairman of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB), announced in a press conference on ] 2004 that the KNB had dismantled the Jamaat of Central Asian Mujahedins, arresting nine citizens of Kazakhstan and four of Uzbekistan. Police confiscated weapons, forged documents, a videotape of a speech given by ], and what ''Radio Free Europe'' called "extremist ]." Four women, trained as ]s, were detained. The government discovered that JCAM recruited 50 citizens of Uzbekistan and 20 of Kazakhstan since mid-2002. JCAM is, like the IMU, affiliated with ].<ref name=JCAM/> | |||
| Zhakshybek Biimurzaev, headed JCAM's operations in Kazakhstan while Ahmad Bekmirzaev, headed operations in Uzbekistan. Both served in the IMU. Biimurzaev has been arrested by Uzbek police and the National Security Service of ]. Uzbek police killed Bekmirzaev in a shoot-out near ] on ]. Biimurzaev is reported as having said, "This year there were three terror attacks in Tashkent in July. I organized them on the instruction of my amir Usman. Three Kazakh citizens took part in them. I was opposed to this, but the amir ordered it." Usman later odered Biimurzaev to assassinate what ''Radio Free Europe'' referred to as a "high-ranking Uzbek official."<ref name=JCAM/> | |||
| Uzbek officials said Avaz Shoyusupov, a Kazakh citizen, is one of the suicide bombers who died in the 30 July attacks. Bekmirzaev's wife, Makhira Ibragimova, and Isa Eruov, Kazakh citizens, killed themselves in suicide bombing attacks in Uzbekistan in spring 2004. Police caught Aidos Usmonov, an Uzbek citizen and an aide of Biimurzaev, in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan. Usmonov had recently returned from ], where he allegedly recruited for JCAM. The Kazakh government extradited Uzbek terrorist suspects arrested in Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan.<ref name=JCAM/> | |||
| '']'' and the Uzbek government reported that 15 suspects charged in relation to the Tashkent bombings were trained in terrorist camps in ], ] and in "private apartments" in ], and other cities, in Kazakhstan. Deputy Chairman Bozhko disagreed, saying "there were no camps and bases for training terrorists on the territory of our country."<ref name=JCAM/> | |||
| ====2006==== | |||
| President Nazarbayev on ] 2006 said the KNB needed to do more to protect the nation's security. Sergei Minenkov, National Security Committee member in charge of counter-terrorism, announced the day after that a KNB-Interior Ministry operation had prevented a major terrorist attack with assistance from the security services of an unnamed foreign nation and again shutdown JCAM, calling it a "criminal gang set up for terrorist activities." Some interpreted Minenkov's statements as a response to Nazarbayev's criticism.<ref name=MINENKOV/><ref name=RELTHRET/> | |||
| Minenkov said the plot involved bombing the offices of security officials, government buildings, and public safety facilities. The ten suspects, who allegedly acted on instructions from a foreign nation, were charged with 'instigating religious strife' and illegal possession of firearms.<ref name=RELTHRET/> | |||
| When the operation took place, JCAM members were, according to ''ISN Security Watch'', "monitoring Kyrgyz political activities." 10 JCAM members in ] were arrested and police confiscated weapons and extremist books and tapes. The suspects were recruiting Kazakh citizens and establishing terror bases when they were arrested.<ref name=MINENKOV/> | |||
| Minenkov said, "Foreign ideologists of terrorism recommended attacking public places and strategically important infrastructure facilities" in letters found by police. Seized documents included instructions on explosive construction and maps of targets. Serikbai Alibayev of ] opposition coalition said, "The National Security Committee's accusation against the opposition - that it could have joined the terrorist group - is nothing less than blame based on nothing. According to our laws and ], law-enforcement agencies immediately should open a case against the National Security Committee and start an investigation. They should be brought to court for saying that -- they are violating our constitution." Zauresh Battalova, also of For a Just Kazakhstan, said, "The National Security Committee is a tool in the hands of the authorities. Today, the National Security Committee is following the authorities' order to discredit those who really care about people in order to stop them. It's the National Security Committee that should be brought to justice. They have to answer for their activities, the activities of the special Arystan unit, and the deaths of ] and ]. Problems cannot be solved by Dutbayev's resignation alone."<ref name=MINENKOV/> | |||
| The KNB discovered and disrupted a terror cell in ] on ]. They arrested eleven Islamic terrorists, who were planning on carrying out attacks to create an Islamist republic in Central Asia. One of the terrorists shot at police officers as they broke up the cell.<ref name=STEPNOGORSK> Playfuls Business and World</ref> On ] the KNB broke up the "Stepnogorsk zhamaat terrorist group," confiscating weapons and literature inciting terrorism. Members of the organization were planning on robbing businesses to fund assassinations of civil servants.<ref name=ZHAMAAT> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| In January of 2006 convicted JMCA terrorists were sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to twenty-five years in prison.<ref name=RELTHRET/> | |||
| ==Terrorist Incidents== | |||
| No terrorist attack has ever been carried out successfully in Kazakhstan, though Kazakh officials claim to have uncovered and prevented planned attacks.<ref name=THREATS> Uyghur American Association</ref> | |||
| ===Almaty airplane bomb=== | |||
| An airport worker discovered a bomb in a plant in the baggage compartment of a ] that flew from ], ] to ], Kazakhstan while unloading baggage on ] 2005. The bomb, which at the time of discovery ticked and had wires. Security officials destroyed the package without incident.<ref name=AEROBOMB> MIPT Terror Knowledge Base</ref> | |||
| ==Counter-terrorism in Kazakhstan== | |||
| '''Counter-terrorism in Kazakhstan''' plays an increasingly important role in ]'s relations with the ] and the ],<ref name=USGLED> Center for Defense Information</ref> which are at an all time high.<ref name=GOODRELATIONS> The White House</ref> Kazakhstan has taken ]'s place as the favored partner in ] for both Russia and the United States in the ].<ref name=FAVORITE> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref><ref name=RUSSIALIKE> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref><ref name=ORDWAY> SignOnSanDiego</ref> No terrorist attack has ever been carried out successfully in Kazakhstan, though Kazakh officials claim to have uncovered and prevented planned attacks.<ref name=THREATS> Uyghur American Association</ref> | |||
| ===Cooperation with China=== | |||
| Kazakhstan has consistently extradited Uyghur terrorist suspects to China<ref name=RELTHRET> Jamestown Foundation</ref> and in 2006 participated in a large-scale, joint counter-terrorism drill.<ref name=PIPELINE> Uyghur American Association</ref> | |||
| ====Chinese delegation visit==== | |||
| ] ] led a 150-person delegation to Kazakhstan on ] 2005 after visiting ], Russia for four days. The Chinese Government issued a press release saying the Chinese-Kazakh energy and security "relationship deepens constantly." Upon arriving Hu met with President Nazarbayev in an official ceremony. They discussed anti-terrorism, energy, and transportation.<ref name=HU> Space War</ref> | |||
| ====Tian-Shan-1 2006==== | |||
| The ] and Kazakhstan held an anti-terror drill, known as the "Tian-Shan-1-2006" drill, from ]-] 2006, starting in ], Kazakhstan and ending in ], China through the ]. The drill is the first time China and Kazakhstan have held anti-terrorism maneuvers.<ref name=THREATS/> The Collective Security Treaty Organization held exercises in the ] simultaneously.<ref name=PIPELINE/> | |||
| The simulation lasted for three days and involved Kazakh forces from border patrol, the Interior Ministry, and the Emergency Situations Ministry, and Chinese law enforcement forces and security services. 700 police officials used armed helicopters and anti-riot vehicles to force the 'enemy' into a narrow valley along the border of Kazakhstan and Xinjiang, China after rescuing 'hostages'.<ref name=HOSTAGEZ> Global Research Center for Research on Globalization</ref><ref name=DRILL> The Boston Globe</ref> About 100 observers from other SCO nation-members attended the exercises.<ref name=EVIL> Uygur American Association</ref> The first day of exercises began in Almaty and ended in ], a city in ]. When officials of '']'' contacted the Foreign and Defense Ministries of both nations, inquiring about the exercises, Islam Dosmailuly, a spokesman for Kazakhstan's National Security Committee, told them he did not "know if will or not. I'm waiting for information. If gets here, we'll certainly comment on it. But, for now, I have no information." '']'' reported that the policemen practiced freeing hostages.<ref name=THREATS/> | |||
| Some analysts said the simulation practiced securing the ], which sends petroleum from Kazakhstan to refineries in Xinjiang. Kazakstan sends about 3.5 million tons through the pipeline annually and wants to increase output to 20 million tons.<ref name=PIPELINE/> | |||
| Konstantin Syroyezhkin, a senior analyst at Kazakhstan's Strategic Studies and Research Institute, said "there are many common threats and these are already. There is ], immigration]], and ] and political extremism. There are a number of threats. And these are counter-terrorism exercises, international terrorism. Why should they not hold them? Look, there's a mess in Afghanistan; there must be some mutual cooperation in that matter. And anyway, it is not the first time they have held such exercises. Last year, or before last year, it was organized as a planned maneuver, there is nothing suspicious about that." Kazakhstan has held joint counter-terrorism exercises with NATO under the ] program and the ].<ref name=THREATS/> Meng Hongwei, Chinese Vice-Minister of Public Security and commander of the Chinese troops for the drill, warned that the "three evil forces" of ], ] and ] and increasing cross-border drug trafficking were affecting the region. Vice-Minister Hongwei said, "the exercise will help establish the SCO's active role in maintaining regional security and stability." SCO nation-members plan to hold another another series of anti-terrorism exercises in Russia in 2007. Vladimir Boshko, first vice-chairman of the Committee of the National Security of Kazakhstan, said the drill would improve anti-terror cooperation among SCO nation-members.<ref name=EVIL/> | |||
| ===Cooperation with India=== | |||
| {{main|2001 Indian Parliament attack}} | |||
| The Kazakh government condemned the ] 2001 ] saying terrorism is unjustifiable. President Nazarbayev and ] ] reaffirmed this message by issuing a joint declaration on ] 2002, when Nazarbayev visited India for a state visit, stating that "terrorism not be justified in any form, for any cause or for any reason used as an excuse... the fight against terrorism has to be global, comprehensive and sustained for the objective of total elimination of terrorism everywhere." They agreed to establish a bilateral joint working group on counter-terrorism and expressed support for the ] and an end to terrorism in ]. During Nazarbayev's five-day visit, the first since 1996, he met with ] ], ] ] and opposition leader ].<ref name=INDIA> SAPRA Indian Foundation</ref> | |||
| ===Cooperation with international bodies=== | |||
| ====CICA Declaration on Eliminating Terrorism==== | |||
| Officials from member state of the ] met in the first CICA conference in Almaty in June 2002. On ] they issued a "Declaration on Eliminating Terrorism and Promoting Dialogue among Civilizations." The Declaration condemns all acts of terrorism as "direct violations of ]" and recognizes that "all religions of the world reject violence and terrorism." It also expresses support for ].<ref name=CICA> Embassy of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada</ref> | |||
| ====Combating money laundering and terrorism financing workshop==== | |||
| The Kazakh government participated in a workshop on fighting ] and the financing of ], along with officials, including legislators and police officers, from the Global Program against Money Laundering of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, the ], ], ], ], ], and the ] in 2002 from ]-] in ], Kyrgyzstan and ] and ] in ], Kazakhstan. The workshop fulfilled part of an "Action Plan" agreed upon in December 2001 in a conference in Bishkek on security in Central Asia.<ref name=WORKSHOP> United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime</ref> | |||
| In Astana the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Security of Kazakhstan advocated passing a law prohibiting money laundering in Kazakhstan per the United Nations' goal of banning money laundering in every country by 2003. Participants gave recommendations to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on changing legislation and bureaucracy to better fight illegal financing practices.<ref name=WORKSHOP/> | |||
| ====International Conference on Peace and Harmony==== | |||
| ], ], and ] leaders met with the President Nazarbayev, ] ], and ] ], and senior government officials from ], Afghanistan and ], in Almaty on ] 2003 for the International Conference on Peace and Harmony. President Bush said in a ] letter to Nazarbayev, "The United States strongly supports the Conference's objective of fostering peace and stability through dialogue among people of different nationalities and faiths. All peace-loving people share a deep interest in advancing religious liberty and tolerance, stemming hatred, and eliminating the threat of terrorism."<ref name=ICPH> Embassy of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada</ref> | |||
| Over 70 Jewish leaders participated, including ], Executive Vice Chairman, and ], Chairman, of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. Zuckerman expressed "gratitude to all present for your fight against all forms of terrorism and extremism."<ref name=ICPH/> | |||
| ]s ], ], ], and representatives ], ], ], ] and others, signed separate letters of support for the conference, calling it "critical to worldwide efforts to counter extremism." It sent "a strong signal that the present and future course of the ] will not be controlled by those that would propagate hate, fear and murder, such as Al Qaeda, but by those nations and people who respect and promote peace, tolerance and ]." Participants in the conference established a permanent "Forum for Peace and Stability," with headquarters in Kazakhstan. Nazarbayev said the Forum laid the "foundation for creating a mechanism for permanent dialogue in the name of stability, security and peace in the ]. New realities require new approaches to thinking of new principles of solving the problems." President Rakhmonov said, "The basis for the dialogue of civilizations lies in the unity of values preached by all religions. We must not allow attempts to pit civilizations against each other to succeed."<ref name=ICPH/> | |||
| ====United Nations Terrorism Committee conference in Almaty==== | |||
| Officials from the ]'s ] met in Almaty from ]-] 2005. The officials discussed terrorism, terrorism financing, money laundering, arms trafficking, illicit fund transfers, and fake charities in ]. ], the ]n ambassador to the United Nations, chaired the conference. On 26 January he said, "the reality is that the threat of terrorism cannot be eradicated completely in the near future. It will continue to reproduce itself one way or the other. But nations can and should make every effort to limit the opportunities for this threat to realize itself, and this is what we are doing, and this is what we are going to discuss during our conference." He also said "terrorism has deep roots in Central Asia." President Nazarbayev 's said in his opening statement, "Kazakhstan's national security is closely linked to the security of the Central Asian region. And security in Central Asia should be considered an integral component of security in . The Central Asian region should be part of a Eurasian security system that is part of a global security system."<ref name=UNTC> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| Boris Mylnikov, head of the CIS Antiterrorism Center, announced a list of terrorist organizations recognized by the CSTO and SCO. ] released an open letter to the CTC, calling on CTC nations to recognize the importance of respecting ] while fighting terrorism. Rachel Denber, acting HRW director for Europe and Central Asia, expressed concerns about ]. HRW opposes the Kazakh government's extradition of Muslims to China because they may be ].<ref name=UNTC/> | |||
| ===Cooperation with Russia=== | |||
| ], First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the Russian ], gave a speech to the chiefs of general staffs of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine in February 2006 prior to the fifteenth anniversary of the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. He called on them to cooperate in fighting against "terrorism, cross-border crime and the drug mafia." The governments of Georgia, Moldova and Turkmenistan chose to not send representatives to the meeting.<ref name=BALUYEVSKY> RIA Novosti</ref> | |||
| At the same time Kazakhstan has extradited terrorist suspects to Russia. FSB and KNB agents caught Vakha Izmailov, suspected of involvement in the ] and of other attacks in ], in a joint operation in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh KNB then transferred him to the Russian FSB.<ref name=IZMAILOV> Sulekha</ref> | |||
| ===Cooperation with Singapore=== | |||
| Oral Mukhamedzhanov, Speaker of Kazakhstan's Lower House of Parliament, met with ] ] on ], 2006. They discussed international terrorism and increasing cooperation between the two nations in counter-terrorism. Speaker Mukhamedzhanov visited ] after Singaporean Parliament Speaker Abdullah Tarmugi invited him.<ref name=SINGAPORE> Channel News Asia</ref> | |||
| ===Cooperation with the United States=== | |||
| Cooperation between Kazahkstan and the United States in counter-terrorism largely came into play after the ] as the United States sought strategic partners near ], and later near ], nations whose governments aided and abetted terrorism in both Kazakhstan and the United States. Counter-terrorism plays an increasingly important role in ]'s relations with the ] and the ],<ref name=USGLED> Center for Defense Information</ref> which are at an all time high.<ref name=GOODRELATIONS> The White House</ref> Kazakhstan has taken ]'s place as the favored partner in ] for both Russia and the United States in the ].<ref name=FAVORITE> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref><ref name=RUSSIALIKE> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref><ref name=ORDWAY> SignOnSanDiego</ref> | |||
| ====Response to the September 11, 2001 attacks==== | |||
| {{main|September 11, 2001 attacks}} | |||
| After the ], ] ] sent a message to ] ] expressing "indignation about terrorist acts that resulted in loss of numerous lives." The "civilized community must unite and take effective measures to fight international terrorism. All the Kazakhstan people sympathize with the American people in their grief and mourn aver the tragedy."<ref name=NATOSPEECH> North Atlantic Treaty Organization</ref> | |||
| According to the ], the Kazakh government has been "extremely supportive the U.S.-led war against terrorism." The government offered the use of a major airport for ]. Over 800 U.S. flights over Kazakh territory were approved and went ahead. CDI's profile of Kazakhstan credits security forces for "step up efforts to protect U.S. government facilities and oil facilities with U.S. private investment" and pledging to "freeze the assets of terrorists identified on the U.S. designated terrorist asset-freeze list." The U.S. officially gave the Kazakh government USD $52,893,000 million in 2002, $47 million in 2003, and $36.2 million in 2004.<ref name=CDI> Center for Defense Information</ref> In addition, U.S. Government agencies spent $92 million in assistance programs in Kazakhstan in 2003.<ref name=ASSIST> U.S. Department of State</ref> | |||
| In a speech given on ] 2001 at the ] during the Defence Ministers session, ], the Kazakh ] and General of the ], said the attacks "demonstrated that international terrorism has no borders and represents a threat to all the world community." He reaffirmed Kazakhstan's will to fight terrorism and the need to "punish" terrorists and their sponsors. Addressing the possibility, raised by ] experts," of using Kazakh airfields for counterterrorist operations, he said there were "other practical issues under consideration," but that Kazakhstan would commit to providing humanitarian assistance to ].<ref name=NATOSPEECH/> | |||
| On ], 2006, the fifth anniversary of the attacks, the Astana Congress issued a Declaration on Religion, Society and International Security, promoting working "together to tackle and ultimately eliminate prejudice, ignorance and misrepresentation of other religions. These common views include the condemnation of terrorism on the basis that justice can never be established through fear and bloodshed and that the use of such means is a violation and betrayal of any faith that appeals to human goodness and dialogue." President Nazarbayev said at the conference, "An ideology of tolerance and dialogue must confront the ideology of terrorism. The global nature of ] contradictions and religious dialogue allows us to think that (the) ] will declare one of the following years (the) International Year of Religious and Cultural Tolerance. We should endeavor best efforts in order to root out ideology of terrorism and maintain material values of ]... There hardly exists something in the world comparable to potential of religion."<ref name=IDEOLOGY> Space War</ref> | |||
| ====Guantanamo Bay detainees==== | |||
| Three Kazakh citizens, ], ], and ], all born in Semey, Kazakhstan, are held in ] detention in the United States' ], in ] for alleged ties to the Taliban. Additionally, Uzbek citizen and Guantánamo prisoner ]'s birthplace is Abaye, Kazakhstan.<ref name=GBNB> U.S. Department of Defense</ref> | |||
| ====Idrisov-Rushailo declaration==== | |||
| Foreign Minister ] told journalists in Almaty on ] 2001, seven days after the September 11 attacks in ], ] that Kazakhstan and Russia are "ready for close cooperation with the ] in combating ]." The statement came after President Nazarbayev, Russian Security Council Secretary ], and the heads of Kazakh law enforcement bodies finished negotiations in security cooperation. The meeting and Secretary Rushailo's overall tour through Central Asia were a response to the attacks in New York and the now acknowledged threat of international terrorism and extremism originating from the area.<ref name=KR&U> Pravda</ref> | |||
| In October 2001 ]s ] and ] said Kazakhstan is "ready for the United States to engage on the topic of terrorism."<ref name=READY> Eurasia Net</ref> | |||
| ====United States' air bases==== | |||
| In 2002 a ] diplomat accused the ] of trying to secure a defunct ], originally used by the ] specifically for theoretical military operations against China, near ] in eastern Kazakhstan. A high-ranking Kazakh Defense Ministry official said the U.S. Government, as part of its anti-terrorism operations in ], had requested the use of military bases in ] and ]. Ibragim Alibekov, a journalist for '']'', characterized ] ]'s support for the "anti-terrorism campaign" as cautious and "hesitant on the implementation of concrete cooperation measures."<ref name=BASE> EurasiaNet</ref> However, the National Conference on Soviet Jewry applauds Kazakhstan for playing "a vital role in U.S.-led efforts to combat international terrorism."<ref name=NCSJ> National Conference on Soviet Jewry</ref> President Bush called Kazakhstan a "strategic partner of the United States in Central Asia" and said the United States wanted to expand anti-terrorism cooperation.<ref name=PRAISE> Eurasia Daily Monitor</ref> | |||
| Alleged U.S. attempts to acquire bases were criticized by ] ], who said such actions were unjustifiable, and Russian ] Speaker ].<ref name=BASE/> | |||
| An anonymous expert within the Kazakh Defense Ministry said that "of all the assistance can offer towards military counter-terrorism operations—allowing use of our airfields, opening air corridors and sharing intelligence information—the last would be the least risky for Kazakhstan. Allowing the use of airfields means going into direct confrontation with the Taliban, and that is not a good scenario in our situation." An anonymous, high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said "the influx of refugees" created by U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan "is one problem, but the greater problem is that terrorists and militants might flee northward disguised as civilians." Professor Murat Abdirov, director of the International Relations Institute of Eurasian University, said, "Kazakhstan cannot stay away from the international anti-terrorism coalition, but we should proceed with caution."<ref name=READY/> | |||
| The Kazakh government did offer the use of a major airport for military operations<ref name=CDI/>, but three years later, with ] operations against the ] in ] continuing, General ], head of ], said on ] 2005 that the ] did not "expect to open a military base in Kazakhstan unless a tense situation emerges in the region, under which the Kazakh government requests the U.S. armed forces to do so."<ref name=NOEXPECT> MOSNEWS</ref> | |||
| ====Secretary of State visits==== | |||
| ] ] visited Kazakhstan on ]-] 2005. Secretary Rice met with Nazarbayev, opposition Chairman ], and opposition leader ] in ]. Nazarbayev told the press that he and Rice "noted with satisfaction our cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Peace became so fragile that such evils as terrorism, ] and ] can be fought only through joint efforts." Rice applauded Nazarbayev's foreign policy and called Kazakhstan an "island of stability" in Central Asian and a "key partner of the U.S. in strengthening stability and security." She also thanked the President for ] to the ], which Rice referred to as proof of "high level cooperation in the field of security and fight against terrorism." | |||
| Former U.S. Secretary of State ] arrived in Astana on ], just two days after Rice's visit, and he also met with Nazarbayev. Kissinger said he beliebed the U.S. had a "good understanding with Kazakhstan security... The fact that high ranked officials have regularly been visiting Kazakhstan lately shows that keen to broaden this cooperation."<ref name=SECOFSTATE> Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in India</ref> | |||
| ====Kazakh journalists visit to Los Angeles==== | |||
| Sabir Kairkhanov, editor-in-chief of ''Ak Zhaiyk'', Botagoz Akzholovna Seidakhmetova, international news editor of ''Novoye Pokoleniye'', and Dossym Satpayev, director of Assessment Risks Group, an NGO which publishes ''Kazakhstan Risk Review'' visited the ] on ] as part of a three week tour of the U.S. in an attempt to gain insight on the ]. They met with political science and economics professor Michael Intriligator who told the delegation about the possibility of terrorist attacks targeting the ]. The journalists noted that in Kazakhstan new courses about terrorism have been added to universities' curricula and ''Urban terrorism'', a book mostly about terrorists in Almaty, has been published. They also discussed the Shanhai Cooperation Organization.<ref name=STATETERRORISM/> | |||
| The visitors all ranked Al Qaeda as the 8th greatest terrorist-danger in Kazakhstan. Professor Intriligator said it is "absolutely premature to say that we have won the War against Terrorism. We are not any safer now than we were before September 11."<ref name=STATETERRORISM/> | |||
| ===Cooperation with Uzbekistan=== | |||
| ====Andijan massacre==== | |||
| {{main|Andijan massacre}} | |||
| Nazarbayev, while on a state visit to ], told ] ] that the ]'s actions in quelling unrest in the Uzbek city of ] on ] and ] 2005 helped "protect the peace of 26 million Uzbekistanis. A different outcome would have destabilized the region today." He said that because terrorists had taken over government buildings and prisons, Karimov could not respond differently to the unrest, and other governments had responded similarly in the past. The Uzbek government attributed the unrest to Islamic extremist groups recognized as terrorist organizations in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek government estimated 187 people, made up of 94 terrorists, 60 civilians, 31 policemen, and two others died, and 76 terrorists were injured. Human rights groups dispute the government's estimate, accusing Uzbek security forces of killing about 700 civilians.<ref name=ANDIJAN> RIA Novosti</ref> | |||
| =====Extradition of terrorist suspects===== | |||
| On ] 2005 ] called upon the Kazakh government to refrain from handing over ], the Andijan representative for the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, then held in Almaty, to the Uzbek government. The Office of the ] had given Shamsudinov ] status and planned to resettle him when Kazakh authorities detained him on ]. Earlier that day President Karimov visited Kazakhstan along with other regional nations' representatives as part of a ] meeting. The Uzbek government requested Shamsudinov's ], charging him with five criminal charges including premeditated murder. Holly Cartner, executive director of the Europe and Central Asia division of Human Rights Watch, said, "Kazakhstan should step forward and protect this brave man. Instead of that, the authorities seem ready to hand over a refugee to be tortured, in blatant violation of ]." In response to statements made by a representative for the Almaty city prosecutor's office, in which the representative called Shamsudinov a terrorist, Cartner said, "The terrorist accusation is a perversion of international concerns about terrorism and an attempt to block international support for Shamsudinov. In reality, he is someone who worked tirelessly towards the ] in Uzbekistan."<ref name=SHAMSUDINOV/> Russia also deported an asylum seeker to Uzbekistan, Rustam Muminov, who Uzbek authorities accuse of involvement in the Andijan unrest and membership in a religious extremist organization,<ref name=MUMINOV> MOS News</ref> and Kyrgyzstan deported five Andijan-refugees - Jahongir Maqsudov, Yoqub Toshboev, Odiljon Rahimov, Rasuljon Pirmatov, and Fayoz Tojihalilov - to Uzbekistan in early August 2006.<ref name=KYRGYZFIVEDEPORT> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| ====Security fence==== | |||
| Kazakh border officials began building a 28-mile long ] on the border with Uzbekistan on ] 2006.<ref name=FENCEBYRFE> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> '']'' reported that the fence will be "eight-foot-high barbed-wire" and searchlights "along heavily populated towns and cities on the southern ridge" where drug smugglers operate. The area is a "flash point in a larger regional struggle against Islamic militants."<ref name=FENCE> The New York Times</ref> | |||
| The governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan first created national border guard forces in 1992 and January 1998 respectively, far earlier than other post-] nations. The Kazakh government raised the force in status, ending the State Security Committee's control until the Committee regained control in 1998.<ref name=BORDERHISTORY> Geneva Center for the Democratic control of Armed Forces</ref> | |||
| Other Central Asian nations have had border disputes in the past. ] and ] had serious "issues" regarding their mutual border until May 2004. The Turkmen Foreign Ministry released a statement on ] saying disputes had been resolved.<ref name=TURKUZBORDER> RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty</ref> | |||
| Erik Roslyakov, second in command of Kazakhstan's southern border, said the fence will cover the Sariaghash and Maktaaral districts. Larisa Dmitriyuk, spokeswoman for Kazakhstan's border administration, said the border patrol's "task will now be easier. We will be in a position to use our weapons, as it is the rule when one wants to catch ."<ref name=FENCEBYRFE/> | |||
| In addition to tightening security, Bruce Pannier of ''Payvand'' noted increased military spending to strengthen Kazakhstan's border with Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan.<ref name=MILITARY> Payvand</ref> | |||
| ===Criticism=== | |||
| Vyacheslav Kasymov, Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-terrorist Center of the ], has accused the Kazakh government of giving refuge to terrorist organizations<ref name=KENTAI> Eurasia Daily Monitor</ref>, an accusation the Kazakh Foreign Ministry denies.<ref name=SHELTERING> Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations</ref> The ] and ] have criticized the ]'s policy of transferring terrorist suspects to neighboring countries, specifically ], where HRW says suspects face torture.<ref name=SHAMSUDINOV> Human Rights Watch</ref><ref name=MAYDEPORTED> Scoop Independent News</ref> | |||
| The strongest criticism of the Nazarbayev administration's counter-terrorism operations comes from Harout Semerdjian of the ]. Semerdjian accuses the government of engaging in "semi-]" through unlawful arrests of journalists, ], and other attacks on the press. The U.S. embassy criticized an act of arson in Kazakhstan in May 2002.<ref name=STATETERRORISM> UCLA International Institute</ref> | |||
| ==See also== | |||
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| ==References== | |||
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| ==Further Reading== | |||
| *]. ''Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia'', Yale University, 2002, ISBN 0-300-09345-4 | |||
| *Jatin Kumar. ''Terrorism and Militancy in Central Asia'', Gyan Books, 2004, ISBN 8-178-35322-9 | |||
| *Shahram Akbarzadeh. '''', Palgrave Macmillan, April 2005, ISBN 1-842-77423-9 | |||
| *Lutz Kleveman. '''', Grove Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8021-4172-2 | |||
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Latest revision as of 20:46, 26 May 2024
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