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Biography
Valiulla Makhmutovich Yakupov (4 September 1963 – 19 July 2012) was a prominent Muslim cleric in Tatarstan, Russia and the deputy to the Muslim province's chief mufti. He was also known as a strong critic of radical Islamist organisations which advocate Salafism, a radical form of Islam. According to news agency Interfax, Yakupov founded Russia's first Islamic literary publishing house.
Death
Assassination
Yakupov was shot dead while walking on the Zarya Street estate in Kazan, Tatarstan, where he lived, according to a statement released by Russia's Investigative Committee. However, there is another report that he was killed while sitting on his porch. Shortly thereafter, the chief mufti, Ildus Faizov, was wounded in the legs after an explosive device blasted through his vehicle. A day after Yakupov's assassination, Russian police detained five people suspected to be involved in Yakupov's killing.
Response
Russia's Council of Muftis has branded the fateful murder of Yakupov as a terror attack. Ramin Mehmanparast, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated that, "Mufti Faizov’s vehicle blew up in an explosion on Thursday in the capital city Kazan and Yakupov was gunned down outside his residence." The spokesman also expressed hope that all governments and the followers of divine religions would make efforts to establish further security in the world. "Unfortunately, deadly attacks on religious leaders have become common," Vladimir Legoyda, the chief of the Synodal Information Department, said. Reports from the media suggest that Yakupov was an anti-extremist activist and the attack may have taken place due to his strong opposition to radicalism.
