Muslim leaders in Russia's North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia accepted on Tuesday the resignation of Mufti Ali-Hadji Evteev after an interview in which he admitted militant links.
The row broke out in early May after Evteev gave an interview to the Regnum news agency in which he described himself as a pupil of Ibn Al-Khattab, a notorious Islamist militant who fought against Russia in the Chechen wars.
Evteev also said that he wanted to live in an Islamic country, praised jihad and made offensive remarks about Russia's Orthodox Church.
Shortly afterwards, Evteev, who was appointed head of the republic's Muslim religious administration in May 2008, made a public apology to the Church, saying his quotes had been misinterpreted. He also denied knowing Khattab.
"Yesterday evening, a meeting of the Muslim religious administration took place... in which the resignation of the Mufti was accepted," a spokesman for North Ossetia's ministry for national affairs said.
Muslims across the country have denounced Evteev's interview, saying it heightened inter-confessional tensions.
VLADIKAVKAZ, May 25 (RIA Novosti)
