Russian Muslims Sack Mufti Who Called for Jihad against US

The Russian Council of Muftis has removed Talgat Tadzhuddin from his post as head of Russia's Muslim organisations. This was announced by Mufti Ravil Gainutdin, the chairman of the Russian Council of Muftis, after a session of the council today. He said that the meeting of Muslim leaders had come to the following decision: 'To declare the declaration by Talgat Tadzhuddin of a jihad against the US as having neither Godly, legal or moral force, and as such it should not be obeyed by Russian Muslims. Also, to declare that no Muslim should now hold prayer with Talgat Tadzhuddin or follow any order or advice issued by him.'

On April 3, 2003, at a meeting in Ufa, Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin, who called himself the 'highest mufti of Holy Rus', announced the start of a holy war against the US and called on those at the meeting to begin collections for purchasing arms abroad. The chairman of the Russian Council of Muftis said that such declarations 'have dealt a colossal blow to the authority of Russian Muslim organisations both at home and abroad, and have damaged the country's foreign policy."