DUSHANBE, July 2, 2015, Asia-Plus — The concept of “martyrdom,” death in battle against “infidels,” is a key element of the ideology of the Islamic State (IS) militant group. IS disseminates photographs of dead militants online, proudly hailing them as “martyrs” in propaganda efforts.
But authorities in Tajikistan suspect a 28-year-old Tajik militant who goes by the nom de guerre Abu Daoud Tochiki used social media to deliberately spread news of his “death” in Syria, according to RFE/RL”s Tajik Service.
And there might be others.
Abu Daoud — whose real name is Parviz Saidrahmonov and who hails from neighborhood 102 on the outskirts of the Tajik capital, Dushanbe — was declared dead in social-media posts in late June.
Saidrahmonov, the accounts said, was killed in the same attack that wounded former Tajik OMON commander Gulmurod Halimov, who defected to IS in May this year.
The posts declaring Saidrahmonov”s death emerged on June 24 when a “martyr video” with photos of Saidrahmonov and other militants said to be killed was posted on YouTube. The video includes images of a bloody corpse that is possibly alleged to be Saidrahmonov”s. The video did not say when or where Saidrahmonov had died.
Muzaffar Yusufi of Tajikistan”s Prosecutor-General”s Office says Tajik militants like Saidrahmonov may “play dead” in order to stop the country”s security forces from interrogating their relatives.
“When a Tajik citizen is thought to have joined IS, investigators question his family members,” Yusufi told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service. “When [the family] announces that the young man died in clashes and take the appropriate measures at home and invite people to a funeral, the investigation stops any further visits to those people”s home,” he added.
Faked deaths have been known to be carried out, Yusufi said.
Yusufi noted that such militants are “the victims of IS ideology,” brainwashed by the militant group to carry out atrocities.
