Chechnya: Separatism or Jihad? examines the nature of Islam in the ongoing Chechen conflict. In early 1995, numerous foreign mujahadeen arrived in Chechnya to assist the separatist movement, and there have been foreigners there ever since. Their contribution on the battlefield and their influence in the political situation within the Chechen resistance is not clear and has often been politically manipulated by all sides in the conflict.

 

More disturbing, four large-scale hostage taking raids into Russia in the past decade, Budyonnovsk (1995), Kizlar (1996), Moscow Theater

 

(2002) and Beslan (2004), now referred to as "spectaculars," seem to run parallel to the radicalization of the conflict and serve as a chronological time-line for the story and illustrate an evolution and escalation of militant Chechen tactics.

 

Chechnya: Separatism or Jihad? explores the larger question of whether or not the Chechen independence movement has been hijacked by militant Islam.

 

Running Time: 56.46

Technical Specifications: Letterbox

Regions: 1&2