Questions Abound Over Salafism In Kyrgyzstan

Religious scholars say the fundamentalist Salafi movement of Islam, widely practiced in Saudi Arabia, is gaining ground in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz officials have responded by banning several groups they identify as Salafi extremists and prosecuting clerics accused of promoting radical ideas. But the size of the movement and its influence remain unclear, as does the exact government policy to address it. (Mametbek Myrzabaev and Alisher Mutalipov, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service)