Makhachkala, October 14, 2013
Ramazan Abdulatipov. Photo: RIA Novosti
The head of administration of Dagestan, a
predominantly Muslim republic in Russia's North
Caucasus, has insisted that local people who have
children studying at Islamic universities and colleges
in "crisis countries" try to bring them back
home.
"It must be announced to the population at district and city level that they should recall their children who are studying at Islamic institutions in crisis countries, countries where there occur various kinds of terrorist attacks, revolutions, and so on," Ramazan Abdulatipov said at a meeting of the Anti-Terrorism Commission for Dagestan on Friday.
He insisted on punishment for such students, "especially those who are fighting in Syria," if they fail to return home, and on warning their parents about this. "Dagestan has put forward an initiative for criminal punishment for taking part in hostilities in that country. Such people work for terrorism," he said.