Membership of Ingush Mufti in North-Caucasian MCC suspended

The Muslims' Coordinating Centre (MCC) of Northern Caucasus has suspended the participation of the Mufti of Ingushetia, Isa Khamkhoev, in its activities, urging him to "return to the framework of Sharia norms" and not to interfere in the work of state bodies.

On January 12, the North-Caucasian MCC invited Khamkhoev to discuss the issue of the conditions for applying the Sharia Court, which was resorted to by Ingushetia in order to establish how the MPs had voted on the issue of the Chechen-Ingush border. The MCC has accused activists of intimidating the MPs. The Mufti of Ingushetia, Isa Khamkhoev, invited the MCC members to come to Ingushetia and get acquainted with his work.

The sitting of the MCC Council, at which Khamkhoev's actions were condemned, was held on Saturday, January 12, in Pyatigorsk. Khamkhoev did not come to the sitting, the "Argumenty I Facty" writes.

"By his behaviour and demonstrative refusal to participate in joint work [...], he brought himself beyond the scope of the MCC's activities," says the statement, as the "IslamNews" reports.

Mufti Khamkhoev was accused of trying "to please his personal ambitions and draw the Muslims' Spiritual Centre of Ingushetia into opposition to the republic's authorities." According to the authors of the statement, the Mufti "continues sowing discord and provoking Muslims to illegal actions."

The criticism by the MCC is a warning for the Ingush Muftiate, which may face pressure due to its political activeness, the analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe. Isa Khamkhoev is ready for a conflict with the MCC, since he enjoys strong support in the republic, Ingush analysts have also pointed out.