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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Uzbek Troops Capture Rebel Leader

2005-05-20

KORASUV, Uzbekistan (AP) - Breaking through a wooden gate and firing only a single warning shot, Uzbek forces on Thursday captured a rebel leader who had proclaimed plans for an Islamic state in this border town. The arrest and takeover of the town of 20,000 quelled the last open bastion of resistance to the U.S.-allied government in the volatile Fergana Valley.

Followers of Bakhtiyor Rakhimov, a farmer turned rebel leader, had claimed control of Korasuv on Saturday. Rakhimov claimed to have 5,000 supporters in the town, who he said were prepared to defend themselves with knives. But there was apparently no resistance when government forces moved in before sunrise Thursday. At Rakhimov's two-story brick home on the edge of town, some 30 special forces broke down the gate, said his sister, Yulduz Rakhimova, displaying the wooden shards.

Now the 294,478th holiest site in all Islam. With relics.

The soldiers went to Rakhimov's room and ordered him to get dressed, and then proceeded to hit him, Rakhimova said. "They beat him with rifle butts on the head and back and kicked him," she said, adding that Rakhimov was unarmed. They arrested about 20 people, also including Rakhimov's 14-year-old son and three men who had been acting as unarmed guards at the home, Rakhimova said.

Later Thursday, helicopter gunships circled the gray skies above Korasuv while police roamed the streets wearing military-style helmets and bulletproof vests. A small knot of soldiers guarded the entrance to the local administration building on the main square while residents strolled by or rode bicycles, the main form of transport in the impoverished town.

Residents said they had been happy during their five days of self-rule, during which they rebuilt a bridge to Kyrgyzstan that the Uzbek government had destroyed a couple of years ago - cutting them off from the thriving bazaar with cheap goods in their Kyrgyz sister city of Kara-suu. "Now they will close the bridge, and there will be nothing to do," said Dilara Badarbayev.

Rakhimov had told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would be "building an Islamic state here in accordance with the Quran." He didn't mention Hizb ut-Tahrir, the banned extremist group that aims to create a worldwide Islamic state and claims to eschew violence.

President Islam Karimov, who has outlawed all public Islamic practices outside station-controlled Islamic institutions, has claimed the group was connected to the Andijan uprising.
On the Kyrgyz side of the border across from Korasuv, a man who said he was a Hizb ut-Tahrir adherent disavowed Rakhimov's uprising as going against the group's philosophy. "Of course it's every Muslim's dream and aim to create an Islamic state," said Abdullo, who gave only his first name out of fear for his safety. "However, you can't build a caliphate this way, through an uprising."

First I've heard of that.

Rashad Kamolov, 27, wearing the white skull cap characteristic of observant Muslims here, said the Korasuv uprising would play into Karimov's hands. "This revolt will do no good to the Muslims. It will only bring harm," he said. "Now Karimov will be able to shout to the world, 'Look! It's Muslims."

Ask yourself why that's such an effective shout?

Posted by:Steve White

#3 Perhaps it was a rope-and-board foot bridge? The kind boy scouts might build? Although I can't see such a thing attracting a journalist's breathless admiration.

Posted by: trailing wife 2005-05-20 18:43

#2 "they rebuilt the bridge in 5 days" the reporter breathlessly noted....

what a load of crap

Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-20 08:29

#1 "They beat him with rifle butts on the head and back and kicked him,"

Beat on the brat
beat on the brat
beat on the brat
with a baseball bat...

Posted by: Joey Ramone 2005-05-20 08:24

00:00