the region is home to a violent islamic uprising. known extremists are closely monitored here. their phones are tapped, and mosqued are under tight surveillance. they monitor all phone calls with family and relatives, and if certain islamic phrases are used, they start to monitor those people. analyst ruslan thinks that is likely how tamerlan raised alarm bells with russian officials in 2011, and as a result, he was likely under surveillance during his visit here, making meetings with militants even less likely. the mosque here where militants have been known to pray insist they never saw tamerlan. and they say they don't preach violence against the united states. other experts agree on that last point, noting that terror groups here are focused on their war with russia and often look for sympathy in the united states. the biggest militant group here issued a statement saying they had nothing to do with the boston bombings.