Valiulla Yakupov

Valiulla Makhmutovich Yakupov Валиулла Махмутович Якупов Вәлиулла Мәхмүт улы Якупов

Born	4 September 1963^[1] Dmitrievka, Russian SFSR, USSR
Died	19 July 2012(2012-07-19) (aged 48) Kazan, Russia
Cause of death	Assassination by gunshot
Nationality	Tatar
Occupation	Muslim cleric

Valiulla Makhmutovich Yakupov (4 September 1963 – 19 July 2012) was a prominent Muslim cleric in Tatarstan, Russia^[2] and the deputy to the Muslim province's chief mufti.^[3] He was also known as a strong critic of radical Islamist organisations which advocate Salafism, a radical form of Islam.^[4] According to news agency Interfax, Yakupov founded Russia's first Islamic literary publishing house.^[5]

Death

Assassination

Yakupov was shot dead while walking on the Zarya Street estate in Kazan, Tatarstan, where he lived, according to a statement released by Russia's Investigative Committee.^[6]^[7] However, there is another report that he was killed while sitting on his porch.^[8] Shortly thereafter, the chief mufti, Ildus Faizov, was wounded in the legs after an explosive device blasted through his vehicle.^[9] A day after Yakupov's assassination, Russian police detained five people suspected to be involved in Yakupov's killing.^[10]

Response

Russia's Council of Muftis has branded the fateful murder of Yakupov as a terror attack.^[7] "Unfortunately, deadly attacks on religious leaders have become common," Vladimir Legoyda, the chief of the Synodal Information Department, said. Reports from the media suggest that Yakupov was an anti-extremist activist and the attack may have taken place due to his strong opposition to radicalism.^[7]

References

^ "Valiulla Yakupov | VK".
^ "Valiulla Yakupov Murder: Russian Imam's Suspected Killers Detained". Huffington Post. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ "Top Muslim cleric Yakupov gunned down in Russia". Fox News. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ Tom Parfitt (19 July 2012) Russian Muslim leader injured in car bomb and deputy shot dead Telegraph; retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ "Russia Muslim leaders attacked in Tatarstan". BBC. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ "Five Arrested in Tatar Attacks". The Journal of Turkish Weekly. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c Terrorist attack has shaken Tatarstan's religious community Russia and India Report 19 July 2012; retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ Roggio, Bill (29 August 2012). "'Black Widow' assassinates moderate Muslim cleric in Russia's Caucasus". Long War Journal. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ "Suspected Killers of Russian Imam Are Detained". The Wall Street Journal. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^ "Russian imam's suspected killers detained". Associated Press. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.