The Riyad us-Saliheyn Martyrs Brigade is a relatively young terrorist organization, dedicated to the creation of an independent Islamic republic in Chechnya (and other primarily Muslim parts of Russia such as Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, Ossetia and Tataria). The group, whose name translates to "requirements for getting into paradise," espouses radical Islamic doctrine (Wahabbism), and is believed to have strong ties to Al-Qaeda. However, most experts agree that the primary inspiration behind Riyad's activities is a desire for the independence of "Chechen lands," rather than religious zealotry. Before his death in July 2006, Riyad was led by the rebel commander, Shamil Basayev, who briefly served as President of Chechnya. Riyad is believed to be descended from two other Chechen terrorist organizations led by Basayev, the Special Purpose Islamic Regiment (SPIR) and the International Islamic Brigade (IIB). It has even been suggested that Riyad is simply the result of the marriage of these two groups
Riyad terrorists have intensified their attacks in recent years, claiming responsibility for some of the worst terrorist incidents in Russia's history. Their first attack, in December of 2002, destroyed the headquarters of the pro-Russian Chechen government, killing 72 and injuring 280 people. According to Basayev, the perpetrators of the attack were an ordinary Chechen father and his two teenage children. In August of 2003, a similar attack was made on Russian territory, but this time the target was a hospital housing both civilian and military patients. The attack resulted in the death of 52, while injuring 72.
The group has also used "Black Widow" suicide bombers to carry out attacks, such as the August 2004 airline and subway bombings. As long as the Russians press their claims in Chechnya and as long as Chechens are willing to give their life to resist control from Moscow, the Riyad us-Saliheyn Martyrs' brigade will most likely remain in business. While the death of Shamil Basayev in July 2006 is seen as a large setback for the brigades, the group remains an active security threat in the region.
These data were collected for the Terrorism Knowledge Base® (TKB®), managed by the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) until March 2008. START has neither reviewed nor verified these data, but is presenting this information as a service to the homeland security community.
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