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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1405422/posts

"Uzbekistan - Uzbek rebel leader says his group intends to build Islamic state"
Associated Press | May 18, 2005

Posted on 05/18/2005 2:51:19 AM PDT by HAL9000

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The leader of a group of rebels claiming to control this Uzbek border town said Wednesday that he and his supporters intend to build an Islamic state and are ready to fight if government troops attempt to crush their revolt.

"We will be building an Islamic state here in accordance with the Quran," Bakhtiyor Rakhimov told The Associated Press while leaning down from the back of a horse.

Tense but confident, the bearded 42-year-old farmer, wearing a traditional Uzbek embroidered black-and-white skull cup, snapped his fingers as he gave orders to an assistant. It was unclear how many people he commanded, but there was no sign of any government officials in the town of about 20,000.

"The town is in the hands of people. People are tired of slavery," he said as he kept an eye on two roads converging at an intersection in Korasuv.

However, Uzbek Interior Minister Zakir Almatov shrugged off the militant's claims."