Big surprise here. “Kyrgyzstan: violence provoked by Islamic militants,” from AP, June 24:
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Kyrgyzstan’s security agency claims relatives of the country’s toppled president have colluded with Taliban and other Islamic militant movements to provoke ethnic violence in the ex-Soviet nation.
It’s statement Thursday says former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s relatives met in Afghanistan last month with representatives of Taliban, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and other militant groups to discuss plans to trigger unrest in Kyrgyzstan. The agency alleges Bakiyev’s clan promised to pay Islamic extremists to stir up violence….