Ukraine officials said that its country was facing the threat of Islamic extremism, and called on security officials to take measures to protect the nation.
President Leonid Kuchma said, "We must do everything in order to protect ourselves from this problem. It's a fact that this problem exists today, the question is only - to what extent."
The remarks made by Kuchma were a result of false reports by Ukrainian security officials and media reports suggesting that Muslim radicals from Russia's were breaking away from the region of Chechnya. There were also reports that said Muslims were buying apartments in Crimea in order to win support in the Black Sea peninsula.
Yuriy Zemliansky, Ukraine's deputy Security Service chief, said in late September that Chechen Muslims were trying to settle in the former Soviet republic to escape intensifying conflicts. The Krymskaya Pravda newspaper reported this week that Chechens were purchasing cheap homes in Crimea so they could create a safe haven for their families among the Crimean Tatars, a Muslim group numbering about 270,000 people in the region.
In Soviet times, both the Crimean Tatars and the Chechens suffered repression. The Chechen people are under intense attacks from the Russian military and are said to be looking for support among other Muslim people along the southern rim of what used to be known as the Soviet Union.
Sources tell us that Chechen militants said they planned a coordination meeting with Islamic fundamentalists among the Crimean Tatars.
The Security Service said it has no information to support the sources claims. Crimean Tatars have held protests to condemn Russia's current military campaign in Chechnya and their leaders say there are no Islamic fundamentalist groups in Crimea.
"Today one must not raise the alarm and frighten us with such trends, as it brings nothing positive," said Kuchma. "But it's clear that all those responsible for dealing with such problems must actively implement the necessary measures."
More reports of Muslims buying apartments in Crimea and trying to win support in the Black Sea peninsula.