Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr S. Ilhamgizi / Vahhabism is not the main danger in religious field. The danger is in lack of Islamic education, restriction of human rights, and ban against religious TV programs, the head of the Conscience and Religion Freedom Protection Centre (DEVAMM), Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, said to Trend on 23 November.
In October and November, the Azerbaijani National Security Ministry captured a group of radical Vahhabits. According to the Ministry, the arrested extremists released their plans to commit terror acts in foreign countries' diplomatic missions in Azerbaijan - UK and US Embassies.
The chair of the Caucasus Muslims' Clerical Port Allahshukur Pasha-zadeh, the chair of the State Committee on Religious Organizations Hidayat Orujev and other religious figures reported that Azerbaijan faces Vahhabism and Nurism threat. Radical Vahhabits and other religious groups try to turn Azerbaijan into a religious state.
According to Ibrahimoglu, extremist groups function under religious pretext of Vahabbism or other radical sects. Weakness of democracy enables spread of extremism. "The state organizations which must carry out religious education do that not properly," he said. In his opinion, the order to stop broadcasting of educative TV programs popularizing Islam was made purposefully.