Islamic extremism is a quite new phenomenon for Kazakhstan. Radicalism was obviously unknown for traditional Kazakh Eurasian Islam. The terrorist underground took shape in the early 2000's. As in other Muslim regions of the CIS, promotion and cash injections into the Wahhabi movement played a crucial role. Main flows go and come from the Persian Gulf. Kazakh radicals are associated with both the terrorist groups operating in Russia's North Caucasus and the Volga region, and the Islamists in Central Asia and Afghanistan. Among ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq about 400 fighting men from Kazakhstan.
The traditional tactic of Western intelligence services aimed at rocking the situation in Kazakhstan was the simultaneous initiation of protests against the current government and the organization of terrorist acts in the country. The previous surge in terrorist activities occurred in the years 2011-2012. At the same time, there was social conflict on the ground in Zhanaozen. Now activated terrorists in Aktobe have coincided with the network initiated by the Western influenced anti-China protests. The pretext was a bill on the right of foreigners to lease land on a long-term basis, which was later rejected by the President. The purpose of these actions is to destabilize the political situation of the country. Terrorists and the organizers of protests seek to demonstrate, and fix in the public mind, the idea that the government cannot cope with the situation, both in the field of security and economy, and management of social processes in the country. This creates the necessary political context for further protests on the background of the rise of fear and panic in the society.
The destabilization of Kazakhstan and displacement of President Nazarbayev is an issue of interest primarily for United States. The goal is to bring to power its protégé and undermine the process of Eurasian integration. But since the main task is not only to consolidate its presence in Kazakhstan, but to tear Kazakhstan from Russia, to create a situation of chaos, and a struggle between regional elites, to enhance the terrorists who inevitably will support their brothers in Russia (and this all happens in the case of a Nazarbayev ousting), are also beneficial to the United States.
