Uzbekistan: Attempt on the life of a Moslem leader in Tashkent
Surat Ikramov, Chairman of the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Activists, reported Anvar-kori Tursunov stabbed in Tashkent. Attempt on the life of Tursunov, the senior imam-hatib (mosque religious authority - Ferghana.Ru) of the Tashkent mosque, occurred in the Chilanzar district of the Uzbek capital at 8 p.m. on August 1.
An unidentified criminal stabbed Tursunov several times and escaped. The law enforcement agencies are looking for the assailant.
Interim reports indicate that Tursunov was hospitalized, his condition diagnosed as "medium".
Tursunov is the imam of the Kukeldash mosque and an expert with the Committee for Religious Affairs of the government of Uzbekistan.
According to Uzmetronom, Tursunov commanded considerable respect among Uzbek Moslems and aspired for the position of the mufty, the head of the Moslem Directorate of Religious Affairs, more than once. Tursunov's sermons were regularly broadcast by Uzbek TV.
Uzmetronom sources nevertheless deny involvement of any extremist religious groups and attribute the assassination attempt to different motives. Every Moslem authority in Uzbekistan runs some business or other on his territory, so that this particular crime could be ordered and engineered by Tursunov's business rivals.
