Myth and Reality of Islamist Extremism in Central Asia

Problems associated with growing Islamist fundamentalism in Central Asia,especially in the Ferghana Valley, have increasingly attracted public attention for over a decade. Some have argued that the problem is going to pose a threat to regional security. Militant Islam became a reality in the 1999 and 2000 insurgent raids of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in Kyrgyzstan. Recently, the destruction of the Taliban regime and al Qaeda strongholds in Afghanistan have badly damaged the IMU, and some believe it no longer presents a serious threat to Central Asian security, although there is a concern about its resurgence. The secular governments of Central Asia now worry more about an elusive Islamic political party such as Hizb-ut Tahrir al-Islami (HT) and a number of less well-known extremist groupings (Taza Islam, Akramiyya, Lashkar Toiba, among others). These groups are feared to be advocating violence and gaining enough popular support to threaten existing rulers, absent an active government crackdown. A review of some of the Western publications and news reports as well as speeches of regional government officials often points to a serious threat posed by uncompromising and potentially militant Islamists. In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, such rhetoric appears to be increasingly popular. However, this threat is usually exaggerated. Full report