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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Basayev's babe is a Cossack |
| 2005-02-25 |
| Kavkaz Center reported from Chechnya, referring to Commander Basayev's assistant, Amir Abu-Muslim, that on February 14 Commander Shamil Basayev got married in one of the cities of Krasnodar Territory (Southern Russia) where he was undergoing treatment at a health resort. Commander's assistant explained that this is the reason why Mr. Basayev did not attend the Command meeting in Chechen capital Jokhar (former Grozny) in mid-January. The rumors about absence of Commander Basayev (Abdullah Shamil Abu Idris) during the Command session in Jokhar served as the reasons for making statements about his alleged death. These statements were made by representatives of the invaders' command and by some local puppets. It is Shamil Basayev's third marriage. His new wife is hereditary Cossack and a sister of one of the Chechen Fighters (Mujahideen). Several Commanders from Adygea, Cherkessk, as well as from Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories and Rostov Province (Southern Russia) attended the wedding ceremony. With them Shamil discussed the situation in the Caucasus and methods of expanding the Jihad. Also, earlier he conducted a few meetings with the Fighters in Adygea and Krasnodar Territory, where he reworked some of the organizational issues. According to what Commander Abu-Muslim said, Shamil stated that he "combined what is pleasant with what is useful, and God Willing (Insha Allah), this year Jihad will spread all across the Caucasus." The other day Commander Basayev successfully returned to Chechnya with his young wife. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #5 It varied a lot. Some of the Cossacks were enforcers for the Tsars. Others had a more benign role. My father's grandfather was the last of generations of the family to raise and train cavalry horses and to form mounted patrols. They were responsible for guarding the borders of the vast grasslands in exchange for land and title. And yes, Stalin hated them. Family members who came to the US and Canada survived. Those, like my great-grandfather, who stayed to protect the villages and do their sworn duty, did not. And yes, the family was and is Orthodox christian. |
| Posted by: Robin Burk 2005-02-25 12:14:07 PM |
| #4 If I remember right,the original Cossacks were a loose association of people who fled thier oppresive homelands in search of adventure and Freedom. |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-02-25 9:59:06 AM |
| #3 ed's educated guess is probably right. The root of the word "Cossack," according to Webster, is "kazak", Turkish for adventurer. Ivan the Terrible put a band of adventurers, called Cossacks, led by Yermak Timofayev and others, to explore Siberia and conquer it for the Czar. Ivan probably figured Columbus went west, he could send people east. According to my friend who pastored in Khazakhstan for four years, the Christians in Khazakhstan don't use the word "baptize" because the Cossacks forced the Czar's religion on the native Khazaks, and forced mass baptisms. |
| Posted by: mom 2005-02-25 9:23:37 AM |
| #2 May be a translation error and meant to be Kazakh. The Cossacks and muslims have a lot of bad blood. In the 1300's-1800's, much of the Cossack's function was to fight the muslims on Russia's periphery. After the revolution, Stalin liqudated them (~4 million?) as class enemies. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-02-25 9:03:48 AM |
| #1 I thought the Cossacks were generally orthodox christian? |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-02-25 8:35:06 AM |