Dagestan Tries in Absentia a Preacher Wanted by Russia on Charges of Organizing Mass Riots

The Supreme Court of Dagestan is considering the case of Islamic preacher Abu Umar Sasitlinsky (Israil Akhmednabiyev), who is accused in absentia of organizing anti-Semitic riots at the Makhachkala airport in October 2023.

According to investigators, Sasitlinsky, who is wanted for recruiting for ISIS and financing terrorism, incited the crowd to riot through Telegram channels. More than 100 people have already been convicted in this case.

Abu Umar was also a defendant in absentia in the criminal case of journalist Abdulmumin Gadzhiev, who was convicted on charges of financing terrorism.

In 2022, the Southern District Court in Rostov sentenced Saad Akhmednabiev, the brother of Abu Umar Sasitlinsky, to 16.5 years. Russian security officials believed that Saad financed the banned ISIS, and his brother was charged with promoting terrorism.

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