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¶ … Wahabi Islamic networks' infiltration of the Chechen nationalist movement was facilitated by the following factors. The first such factor was that foreign Islamic groups were successfully able to co-opt some powerful Chechen warlords and politicians towards incorporating their nationalist movement into part of a global Islamic cause. This occurred as a result of the second factor, which was that Russian policies towards Chechnya led to the onset of two brutal wars and to disillusionment towards the stance held by moderate Chechen nationalists.
When Russia became intransigent in the face of Chechen nationalism this led to Chechnya's first war in 1994. The brutal military campaign employed by Russian troops during that war caused some prominent Chechen warlords and politicians to embrace Wahabism. Its acceptance by these individuals was due to ideological, personal, and practical reasons. In terms of ideology Wahabism helped them to view their internal strife as part of a wider global struggle against an all-encompassing enemy. Some of them even began feeling they should liberate their fellow Muslim brethren in neighboring Dagestan from foreign rule.
On a personal level, it alleviated the pain and anguish they had experienced throughout the vicious wars and helped them to maintain order and discipline within their troops. In terms of practicality, Chechen warlords were able to receive money, training opportunities, international contacts and warriors from Wahabist sources once they accepted outside help.
During the inter-war period between 1996-1999, Russia failed to fulfill its promises of financial assistance towards Chechnya's Pro-Moscow leader Aslan Maskhadov; this led to Chechen disenchantment over the moderate stance. Afterwards Russia began labeling the entire Chechen movement as a base of support for terrorist operations; this led to Chechnya's second war, which has lasted since 1999. It is now believed that as fighting rages on, the Wahabist ideology will likely gain more adherents among the Chechens.
Works Cited
Wilhelmsen, Julie. "Between a rock and a hard place: the islamisation of the Chechen separatist movement." Europe-Asia Studies. 57:1 (Jan. 2005): 35-59.
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