Archbishop Nikon condemned killers of Kabardino-Balkaria’s Mufti

The Archbishop of Ufa and Sterlitamac condemned the killers of Kabardino-Balkaria’s Mufti Anas-hadji Pshikhachev.

“All Christian believers of Bashkiria grieve over the tragic death of this man” – he said to the news agency “Bashinform” – “As the Patriarch of Moscow and Russia Cyril said, Anas Pshikhachev was a real patriot of Russia and a good friend of the Russian Orthodox Church. Any murder is the most terrible sin before the God, who gives life to every man and takes it back in due time. The priests and the parish of Ufa Eparchy present their deep condolences to the family and the relatives of the deceased as well as to all citizens of Kabardino-Balkaria and on the eve of the Christmas prey the God about peace, kindness and prosperity to our Fatherland”.

47-year-old Anas Pshikhachev was killed on the doorstep of his home in Nalchik last Wednesday. At present time the police still tries to find the killers. Anas Pshikhachev was one of the most influential Islamic religious activists in the Northern Caucasus and was well-known all over the country as a fighter against any manifestations of extremism. On the eve of the murder the Mufti was taking part in the conference in Nalchik, devoted to the splash of nationalism in Moscow and some Russian regions. In his report the Mufti has underscored the criminals have no either national or religious belonging and all of them are equal before the law. The representatives of many religious organizations believe the murder was a provocation, able to breed inter-religious and international strife in the country.