MOSCOW. Jan 22 (Interfax) - North Caucasus insurgency leader Doku Umarov is facing a new charge in absentia - a public justification of a terrorist activity - after posting a video address on the Internet, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax.
"A criminal case was earlier launched against Umarov over a public address via the Internet with a justification of terrorism. He has already been charged in absentia," the source said.
The source would not specify which video exactly became the reason for bringing Umarov to account.
This criminal case has been merged with another one launched over the January 2011 terrorist attack at Domodedovo Airport, the source said.
"Doku Umarov was arrested in absentia in the case over the Domodedovo terrorist attack and put on the international wanted list in late 2011. He was charged with having committed a terrorist act, setting up a stable armed group with the aim to attack civilians or organizing and leading a criminal group with the aim to jointly commit grave crimes," the source recalled.
Umarov is the leader of North Caucasus militants. Since October 2007 he has led the so-called Caucasus Emirate recognized in Russia as a terrorist organization.
In June 2010 the United States put Umarov on its official list of international terrorists. In March 2011 the United Nations Security Council put Umarov on the list of terrorists linked to the international terrorist network called Al-Qaeda. In May 2011 the U.S. announced a $5 million reward for information about Umarov's whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov stated in mid-January that Umarov is dead.
There is a record of talks between the so-called emirs of Kabarda and Dagestan, who stressed that Umarov was dead and that a new emir should be elected for the Caucasus Emirate, Kadyrov said. Kabarda's emir suggested a Dagestani militant leader for this role, while Dagestani bandits insisted on having a Vadalov, from Chechnya, as the emir, Kadyrov said.
Intelligence agencies did not confirm reports about Umarov's death to Interfax.