Islamic radicals in Georgia and Azerbaijan

“One issue is that Syria has activated a more sectarian understanding of Islam in Azerbaijan. Usually, many Azerbaijanis just say ‘we are Muslims’ but do not actually have a good concept of what that means. Now, some who were ostensibly Shi’a became Salafis.”

…

Countering terrorism: “Specifically, authorities sought to bring mosques under greater control by installing cameras inside, replacing Salafi clerics with moderate leaders, forbidding Salafis from taking leadership roles in mosques, banning books promoting extremist views, and increasing control over public television.” – U.S. State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism.

http://dfwatch.net/radicalisation-in-the-south-caucasus-39101

(Freedom and Democracy Watch is supported by Open Society – funded by George Soros – and Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, named for the first Weimar president who was originally a supporter of the Freikorps.)