Islam Under Fire in Kazakhstan

Over the past few months, Kazakhstan has taken steps to quash the practice of Salafism, an ultraconservative strain of Islam, within its borders. The government in Astana, already grappling with a weak economy, persistent protests, militant attacks and a looming presidential succession, fears that the religious sect will further destabilize the country by inciting violence. But if the Kazakh government is not careful, its crackdown on Islam may exacerbate the security problems facing it rather than solve them....