http://feeds.russianews.net/?rid=5494c733a88253d5&cat=723971d98160d438&f=1
Iraqi Al-Qaeda Group Says Kidnapped Russian Diplomats Killed
Created: 21.06.2006 22:44 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 22:49 MSK
MosNews
A group loyal to al-Qaeda in Iraq said it killed four kidnapped Russian diplomats, the Bloomberg web-site reported on Wednesday quoting an Internet posting found by the Washington-based Search for International Terrorist Entities Institute.
Russia did not pay any ``attention to the significance of its citizens, says a translation of the message by SITE researchers. The diplomats are Fyodor Zaitsev, Rinat Agliuglin, Anatoly Smirnov and Oleg Fedoseyev, CNN reported on June 19.
The posting was by a group called the Mujahedeen Shura Council, SITE said on its own Web site. Two days ago the group gave the Russian government 48 hours to pull out of Chechnya and free Muslim prisoners in Russian jails, according to an earlier statement translated into English by SITE.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pleaded for the diplomats release and said two weeks ago that Russian authorities were working with the Iraq government, Iraq special forces and the U.S. military in an effort to free the diplomats.
Chechen separatist Akhmed Zakayev yesterday denied any connection with the kidnappers and called for the diplomats release, Reuters reported. Zakayev is the exiled foreign minister of the Chechen rebel government.
The envoys were abducted in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, on June 3. A fifth Russian official, Vitaly Titov, was killed in the course of the kidnapping.
In Moscow, the Russian government would not comment on the message about the possible slayings. Yevgeniy Khorishko, a spokesman at the Russian Embassy in Washington, said he wouldnt comment unless his government confirmed the deaths of the diplomats.
It is very surprising that Russians (Mos News) knew about SITE. I wish it was kept away from foreigners' eye. SITE is too valuable to be noticed by foreign intel and news sources, especially unfriendly countries.