A member of the Ulema Council of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims has been accused of terrorist activity
The Moscow Garrison Military Court has arrested Visam Ali Bardvil, a member of the Ulema Council of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia and imam of the South Butovo mosque. He was charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code (participation in the activities of a terrorist organization).
According to RBC, investigators believe he is a member of a cell of the Muslim Brotherhood (recognized as terrorist in Russia and banned).
In May and early June, Bardvil was twice sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest. First, for disobeying a police order (Part 1 of Article 19.3), and then for petty hooliganism.
During Visam Ali Bardvil's tenure at the Karelia Muftiate, one of his deputies was the Ingush theologian and public figure Akhmed Tangiyev. He is also under arrest for allegedly participating in a terrorist organization.
As a reminder, a wave of arrests of Muslim theologians occurred in May. Among them were the Mufti of Mordovia, Rail Asainov; the chairman of the Northwest Muslim Community, Mohammed Henni; and the adviser to the Mufti of the Saratov Region, El Hih Nidal Awadallah Ahmed. All of them are associated with the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia, led by Ravil Gainutdin.
