World Terrorism: News, History and Research Of A Changing World #6 Disinformation, Inc.

VEVAK learned its methodology from the Soviet KGB and many of the Islamist revolutionaries who supported Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini actually studied at Moscow's Patrice Lumumba Friendship University, the Oxford of terrorism. Documented Iranian alumni include the current Supreme Leader (the faqih) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, under whose Velayat-e Faqih (Rule of the Islamic Jurisprudent) apparatus it has traditionally operated. Its current head is Cabinet Minister Hojatoleslam Gholam-Hussein Mohseni-Ezhei, a graduate of Qom's Haqqani School, noted for its extremist position advocating violence against enemies and strict clerical control of society and government. The Ministry is very well funded and its charge, like that of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (the Pasdaran) is to guard the revolutionary Islamic Iranian regime at all costs and under all contingencies.

From the KGB playbook, VEVAK learned the art of disinformation. It's not so difficult to learn: tell the truth 80% of the time and lie 20%. Depending on how well a VEVAK agent wants to cover his/her tracks, the ratio may go up to 90/10, but it never drops below the 80/20 mark as such would risk suspicion and possible detection. The regime in Teheran has gone to great lengths to place its agents in locations around the world. Many of these operatives have been educated in the West, including the U.K. and the United States. Iranian government agencies such as embassies, consulates, Islamic cultural centers, and airline offices regularly provide cover for the work of VEVAK agents who dress well and are clean shaven, and move comfortably within our society. In this country, because of the severance of diplomatic relations, the principal site of VEVAK activities begins at the offices of Iran's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.

Teheran has worked diligently to place its operatives in important think tanks and government agencies in the West. Some of its personnel have been recruited while in prison through torture or more often through bribery, or a combination of both. Others are Islamist revolutionaries that have been set up to look like dissidents - often having been arrested and imprisoned, but released for “medical reasons”. The clue to detecting the fake “dissident” is to read carefully what he/she writes, and to ask why this vocal “dissident” was released from prison when other real dissidents have not been released, indeed have been grievously tortured and executed. Other agents have been placed in this country for over twenty-five years to slowly go through the system and rise to positions of academic prominence due to their knowledge of Farsi and Shia Islam or Islamist fundamentalism.

One of the usual tactics of VEVAK is to co-opt academia to its purposes. Using various forms of bribery, academics are bought to defend the Islamic Republic or slander its enemies. Another method is to assign bright students to train for academic posts as specialists in Iranian or Middle East affairs. Once established, such individuals are often consulted by our government as it tries to get a better idea of how it should deal with Iran. These academics then are in a position to skew the information, suggesting the utility of extended dialogue and negotiation, or the danger and futility of confronting a strong Iran or its proxies such as Hizballah (Hezbollah). These academics serve to shield the regime from an aggressive American or Western policy, and thereby buy more time for the regime to attain its goals, especially in regards to its nuclear weaponry and missile programs.

MOIS likes to use the media, especially electronic media, to its advantage. One of VEVAK's favorite tricks is setting up web sites that look like they are opposition sites but which are actually controlled by the regime. These sites often will be multilingual, including Farsi, German, Arabic French, and English. Some are crafted carefully and are very subtle in how they skew their information (e.g., Iran-Interlink, set up and run by Massoud Khodabandeh and his wife Ann Singleton from Leeds, England); others are less subtle, simply providing the regime's point of view on facts and events in the news (e.g., www.mujahedeen.com or www.mojahedin.ws). This latter group is aimed at the more gullible in our open society and unfortunately such a market exists. However, if one begins to do one's homework, asking careful questions, the material on these fake sites generally does not add up.

Let's examine a few examples of VEVAK's work in the United States. In late October, 2005, VEVAK sent three of its agents to Washington to stage a press event in which the principal Iranian resistance movement, the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK), was to be slandered. Veteran VEVAK agent Karim Haqi flew from Amsterdam to Canada where he was joined by VEVAK's Ottawa agents Amir-Hossein Kord Rostami and Mahin (Parvin-Mahrokh) Haji, and the three flew from Toronto to Washington. Fortunately the resistance had been tracking these three, informed the FBI of their presence in Washington, and when the three tried to hold a press conference, the resistance had people assigned to ask pointed questions of them so that they ended the interview prematurely and fled back to Canada.

Abolghasem Bayyenet is a member of the Iranian government. He serves as a trade expert for the Ministry of Commerce. But his background of study and service in the Foreign Ministry indicates that Bayyenet is more than just an economist or a suave and savvy businessman. In an article published in Global Politician on April 23, 2006, entitled “Is Regime Change Possible in Iran?”, Bayyenet leads his audience to think that he is a neutral observer, concerned lest the United States make an error in its assessment of Iran similar to the errors of intelligence and judgment that led to our 2003 invasion of Iraq, with its less than successful outcome. However, his carefully crafted bottom line is that the people of Iran are not going to support regime change and that hardliner President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad actually has achieved greater popularity than his predecessors because of his concern for the problems of the poor and his fight for economic and social justice. To the naive, Bayyenet makes Ahmadinejad sound positively saintly. Conveniently overlooked is the occurrence of over four thousand acts of protest, strikes, anti-regime rallies, riots, and even political assassinations by the people of Iran against the government in the year since Ahmadinejad assumed office. So too, the following facts are ignored: the sizeable flight of capital, the increase in unemployment, and the rising two-figure rate of inflation, all within this last year. Bayyenet is a regime apologist, and when one is familiar with the facts, his arguments ring very hollow. However, his English skills are excellent, and so the naОve might be beguiled by his commentary.

Mohsen Sazegara is VEVAK's “reformed revolutionary”. A student supporter of Khomeini before the 1979 revolution, Sazegara joined the “imam” on his return from exile and served in the government for a decade before supposedly growing disillusioned.

He formed several reformist newspapers but ran afoul of the hardliners in 2003 and was arrested and imprisoned by VEVAK. Following “hunger strikes”, Sazegara was released for health reasons and permitted to seek treatment abroad. Although critical of the government and particularly of Ahmadinejad and KhameneМ, Sazegara is yet more critical of opposition groups, leaving the impression that he favors internal regime change but sees no one to lead such a movement for the foreseeable future. His bottom line: no one is capable of doing what needs to be done, so we must bide our time. Very slick, but his shadow shows his likely remaining ties to the MOIS.

Hizbullah gloats at Halutz resignation

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=78708

Hizbullah gloats at Halutz resignation
By Nour Samaha
Daily Star staff
Thursday, January 18, 2007

BEIRUT: Hizbullah said Wednesday that the resignation of the Israeli
military's chief of staff late Tuesday, after months of mounting
pressure to step down over Israel's failures in the summer 2006 war,
was
further proof that the Jewish state was defeated in the conflict.

Lieutenant General Dan Halutz's "resignation confirms what Hizbullah
has
previously said, that the outcome of the 2006 war was a strategic and
historical victory for Lebanon against the Israeli enemy," Hizbullah
spokesperson Hussein Rahhal told The Daily Star. "Halutz's resignation
is one of the repercussions of that victory ... The Lebanese should
consider the enemy as defeated and that they are the victors."

Fireworks were seen over the Hizbullah-led opposition's ten city in
Downtown Beirut on Wednesday evening. Earlier, in the Dahiyeh, one of
the most severely bombarded areas by Israel during the summer war,
there
was a palpable sense of satisfaction in the air. However, residents of
the southern suburbs also voiced concern about who would replace
Halutz.

"It's good that he resigned, because it shows that he is ashamed of
what
he did to us, " Mariam Saadi said at the Al-Sirat Foulard clothing
store
in Haret Hreik. "Although his replacement may be worse than [Halutz]
was, [the new army chief of staff] may be more powerful and try to
prove
that he can conquer Lebanon."

Salman Saadi echoed Mariam's comments. "They are all the same. They are
all Zionists who think they are the best and everyone else is supposed
to be their slaves. His replacement will be the same."

Mohammad Salem, a construction worker who lives and works in the
Dahiyeh, was pleased with the resignation, but was also unsure about
Halutz's replacement.

"Halutz is evil. He is like an animal that has no respect for men, so
it
is good that he resigned," he said. "He did many things to Lebanon. If
you want to see how he treated Lebanon, just look at the Dahiyeh or the
South. Go to Qana."

"Any man who comes after Halutz is going to be just like him. There is
no difference between the Israelis, especially with their behavior and
attitude toward us Lebanese," he added.

Wassim Najdi, a pharmacist in Haret Hreik, pulled no punches while
expressing his opinion of the now-resigned commander of the Israeli
forces. "I hate him very much. He destroyed the area we live in," Najdi
said. "He killed our children."

"We love peace and he does not. He is not human, so it's definitely a
good thing he resigned. Maybe they might replace him with someone
better," Najdi added hopefully.

Zeina Zghraib, also from the Dahiyeh, expressed pleasure over the
resignation. "Israel was at its lowest after the war. Now the
politicians over there are thinking about what to do to improve their
situation and lift themselves off the ground, so Halutz resigned. We
are
all happy about this," she said.

Halutz was under fire from several investigations following the summer
war, although none had officially demanded his resignation.

The former chief of staff was widely blamed by the Israeli public for
Israel's failures in the conflict and faced repeated calls to step
down,
along with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

U.S. Army Special Forces soldier accused of stealing weapons

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/17/america/NA-GEN-US-Soldier-Indicted.php

U.S. Army Special Forces soldier accused of stealing weapons

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida: A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier has been
indicted on 13 counts accusing him of trying to import stolen arms from
Afghanistan and illegally storing weapons and explosives.

David Neal Kellerman, 44, has been in military and federal custody
since
August. His attorney says the items found on Kellerman's boat and in
two
storage facilities were merely "battlefield souvenirs."

Kellerman was first taken into military custody on Aug. 22 in
Afghanistan after investigators found 32.5 pounds (14.6 kilograms) of
C4
explosives, 11 grenades and other high-powered weapons among his
belongings when he returned to base. According to an affidavit, some of
the weapons were disassembled and hidden in ordinary items.

Kellerman was initially indicted in December on seven counts related to
the cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives found on his boat and
in
the storage facilities. A grand jury on Tuesday added six counts
accusing him of trying to import firearms and explosives Afghanistan,
where he was serving as a sergeant first class at Bagram Airfield.

The indictment charges that Kellerman corresponded from Afghanistan via
e-mail with a person named "Mr. Monster" seeking assistance in
collecting and concealing U.S. Army property, including explosives,
blasting caps and ammunition. "Mr. Monster" was not identified in court
filings.

Kellerman's attorney, Daniel Koleos, said Wednesday the items found on
his client in Afghanistan were part of Kellerman's ordinary "combat
load" and that he had planned to relinquish them to base officials but
was never given an opportunity to do so.

Koleos could not immediately explain why some of the items were
concealed. He also could not explain the e-mails described in the
indictment, saying he had just received copies of the alleged
communications this week and had not yet reviewed them.

Koleos said the items found on Kellerman's boat and in his storage
facilities were "battlefield souvenirs."

"He never used them. They were being kept as keepsakes," Koleos told
the
South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper, adding that Kellerman has
received
the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service overseas.

Kellerman pleaded not guilty in December to the initial seven counts
and
will re-enter a not guilty plea on Thursday in federal court, Koleos
said.

Federal prosecutors declined to comment.

Terrorists misusing INGO's aid; proved beyond doubts -Defense Spokesman

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070118_01

Last modified on: 1/18/2007 10:46:44 AM
Terrorists misusing INGO's aid; proved beyond doubts -Defense Spokesman

"Government has credible evidence that certain international and local
NGOs unwittingly or knowingly supported the LTTE" Government Defence
spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella revealed at a press
conference yesterday (Wednesday the 17th of January).

Referring to the defensive operation launched against the LTTE in
Ampara, he said the Police Special Task Force personnel have found a
large amount of food stocks and other non-combatant equipment donated
by
several INGOs and states for tsunami victims in the captured LTTE camps
in Ampara.

Explaining underpinning reasons for the defensive operations the
Minister explained that the LTTE has stepped up child recruitment,
civilian massacres and attacks at the security forces' camps in Ampara
since last few months that the government could not afford to stay
blind.

" In December the LTTE abduct 23 children who were sitting for the
ordinary level examination, and because of that incident over hundred
of
other students did not come to the exams due to fear" he said.

"The aim of the operation was to restore normalcy in the area, which is
a responsibility of any legitimate government," he added.

Referring to the success of the operation, The Minister explained that
the STF barely had any fight with LTTE since its cadres had already
fled
their camps in the face of STF's advance. However, he said the stuff
the
STF found in the terror camps has made a startling revelation that the
LTTE is misusing INGOs to fulfill its sinister motives.

"What we have said a few months ago is proved today with ample
evidence," the Minister said referring to the recovery of The STF
troops.

"Now we have evidence-video footage of supplies being provided by INGOs
and NGOs. This is not a personal attack on anyone or institution. It
relates to the national security of the country," he added.

Finally, the Minister explained the government would take necessary
actions to monitor the activities of all NGOs operating in the country.
With regard to those INGOs found to have become puppets to the LTTE he
said the government will inform their parent countries via diplomatic
means regarding their activities.

"There are hundreds of NGOs walked into this country following the
tsunami calamity and many have been still doing an excellent service to
the people in this country.'

"We really appreciate and welcome their service. We only need to pick
out rotten eggs out of good ones for the sake of national security" he
concluded.

See the video footage of the Operation "Niyatha Jaya" (Definite
Victory)
released by the Media Center for National Security.

View Video
http://www.defence.lk/videos/OPERATION%20'NIYATHAI%20JAYA'%20FOR%20MEDIA.wmv

US OPPORTUNITY IN TURKMENISTAN

http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav011707.shtml

US OPPORTUNITY IN TURKMENISTAN
Ariel Cohen 1/17/07
A EurasiaNet Commentary

The political transition in Turkmenistan offers the United States an
opportunity to recoup some of its recent geopolitical losses in Central
Asia.

Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov -- the former minister of health and vice
premier, a dentist by profession and a rumored close relative of the
late dictator Saparmurat Niyazov -- seems assured of winning
Turkmenistan's special presidential election in early February. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Berdymukhammedov has vowed
to continue Niyazov's general political line, which nominally
emphasized
the country's isolation and neutrality, but in fact featured a close
economic relationship with Russia, centering on a comprehensive natural
gas export agreement. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
In its domestic policy, Niyazov's regime was among the most repressive
on earth. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Despite the vow of continuity, Berdymukhammedov has indicated that he
might open the country's socio-political system somewhat. In early
January, he pledged to expand citizens' access to the Internet, and to
improve the quality of the country's educational system. At the same
time, he is no democrat. He has prevented exiled opposition political
leaders from returning to the country, and has discouraged a genuinely
competitive presidential election.

Russia seems to be comfortable with Berdymukhammedov. Officials in
Moscow have declared in unison that the terms of Turkmenistan's pricing
agreement with the Russian energy giant Gazprom will remain intact, at
least until 2009, when it expires. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

Besides Russia, two regional powers are closely watching developments
in
Ashgabat: China, which would like to gain access to Turkmen gas, and
neighboring Iran, which would like to prevent Ashgabat from becoming
pro-American. Unlike Russia, however, Beijing's and Tehran's policy
options are limited. Other neighbors -- such as Uzbekistan, which does
not enjoy the best of relations with Turkmenistan, and which may
stumble
into its own presidential transition soon -- are also following the
events with great interest.

In addition, the political transition in Turkmenistan has not escaped
the attention of the United States. Over the last 18 months,
Washington's position in Central Asia has weakened, due mainly to the
rupture of US-Uzbek relations. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. Berdymukhammedov's rise to power in Ashgabat offers US
diplomacy a fresh opening that could help swing the geopolitical
momentum in Central Asia back in Washington's favor.

For starters, the United States should try to convince Turkmenistan's
new leadership that Ashgabat's interests would be best served by
energy-export diversity. Presently, Turkmenistan sells its gas
relatively cheaply to Gazprom, which, in turn, either resells the
Turkmen gas to Russian customers, allowing Russian gas to be shipped to
Western Europe, or resells it to Ukraine under a murky financial
scheme.
[For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

A more rational strategy for Turkmenistan would be to expand its export
options, thus terminating Gazprom's effective pipeline monopoly. There
are several possibilities, including the construction of an export
route
across the Caspian Sea, connecting Central Asia to Turkey and,
potentially, beyond to Western Europe. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive]. Another route would carry Turkmen gas to China, via
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. The third pipeline route would link Turkmenistan to Pakistan
and India via still-volatile Afghanistan. [For background see the
Eurasia Insight archive].

Berdymukhammedov's stated desire to implement some reforms offers hope
that his administration might respond favorably to US efforts to secure
a larger role in the ongoing development of the Turkmen energy sector.
A
key player in the coming weeks stands to be the US Department of
Energy,
which should aggressively promote the potential of American and Western
European energy and infrastructure companies to improve Turkmenistan's
economic performance. No country possesses a greater ability to assist
Turkmenistan in achieving energy diversification than the United States.

American interests in Central Asia can be summarized in three words:
security, energy and democracy. Washington can't pursue one aspect
without keeping the other two in mind. Thus, any effort to strengthen
bilateral ties through stronger economic ties should require a
concurrent commitment by Ashgabat to forge a prosperous and modern
state, based on popular participation in governance. US officials
should
urge that Turkmen opposition leaders be allowed to return and
participate in political life, and that political prisoners held in
Turkmen jails be freed. In addition, Washington should encourage
Turkmenistan's new leaders to guarantee press freedom and other basic
civil rights.

The strengthening of economic ties, especially in the energy sector,
would have to be accompanied by Ashgabat's commitment to more robust
anti-corruption and transparency policies. Niyazov, the dead dictator,
reportedly diverted millions of dollars in energy revenue generated by
the state into his own personal slush funds. [For background see the
Eurasia Insight archive]. To put an enhanced US-Turkmen bilateral
relationship on solid footing, the new leadership in Ashgabat could
build trust by cooperating in efforts to unearth Niyazov's ill-gotten
gains and re-direct them into programs designed to benefit
Turkmenistan's public sector.

Editor's Note: Ariel Cohen, Ph.D., is Senior Research Fellow in Russian
and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Security at the Heritage
Foundation.

Posted January 17, 2007 © Eurasianet

Iran 'on guard' against attack

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=128144&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17

Iran 'on guard' against attack
Published: Thursday, 18 January, 2007, 09:39 AM Doha Time

TEHRAN: Iran believes a military strike against its nuclear
installations is highly improbable but has nonetheless taken the
necessary precautions in case it is attacked, top officials said
yesterday.

"We think that it is highly improbable that our nuclear sites would be
bombed but we have taken the necessary precautions even for this," said
Mohamed Saeedi, vice president of Iran's atomic energy organisation,
according to the Isna agency.

The US and Israel have never ruled out military action against Iran to
thwart its nuclear programme, which they allege is aimed at making an
atomic weapon.

Saeedi did not specify what the precautions have involved.

Defence Minister Mostafa Mohamed Najar also said Iran was prepared for
any potential move against it.

"Iran's armed forces are closely watching all movements in the region
and will not allow any aggression from enemies," he said according to
the Irna news agency.

A report in the Sunday Times newspaper in Britain earlier this month
said that Israel was already planning a small-scale nuclear strike on
Iranian nuclear sites, although this was strongly denied by the Jewish
state.

Iran has already been hit by UN Security Council sanctions over its
nuclear programme, which it insists is peaceful and aimed at meeting
the
energy needs of a growing population.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's supreme national security council,
echoed Saeedi's comments, saying that "all the options have been taken
into account".

"But this talk (of an attack) should not be taken too seriously. We
think they have the minimum of intelligence not to do a thing like
this," he told reporters, according to Irna.

Saeedi also said Iran would press on with its nuclear programme, even
if
the UN Security Council agreed even tougher resolutions against Tehran
in the future.

"Even if worse resolutions are adopted, we have started our work and we
will continue with it. The secret of our success is unity," he said.

"UN Security Council resolutions will not prevent the Iranian people
from achieving their objectives," he added.

Iran's parliament reacted to the UN Security Council resolution by
passing a law that obliges the government to "revise" its co-operation
with the UN nuclear watchdog.

But almost a month after the adoption of the UN resolution, the
government has yet to indicate how it intends to interpret the law and
Larijani said that there was no need for over-hasty action.

"Why do you want us to react in a hurry? We have to react in a measured
way. We want to act in a way that takes into account the country's
national interests," he said.

Iran has nonetheless made clear it has no intention of surrendering its
nuclear ambitions.

The government spokesman said on Monday Tehran wanted to install "even
more" than 3,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium at a key nuclear plant
in
defiance of the UN Security Council demand to freeze the sensitive
activity. - AFP

Iran target of US Gulf military moves, Gates says

http://www.khilafah.com/home/category.php?DocumentID=14144&TagID=2

Iran target of US Gulf military moves, Gates says

uploaded 17 Jan 2007

Mark Tran and agencies

Monday January 15, 2007

Increased US military activity in the Gulf is aimed at Iran's "very
negative" behaviour, the Bush administration said today.

The defence secretary, Robert Gates, told reporters that the decision
to
deploy a Patriot missile battalion and a second aircraft carrier to the
Gulf in conjunction with a "surge" of troops in Iraq was designed to
show Iran that the US was not "overcommitted" in Iraq.

Speaking in Brussels after meeting Nato officials, Mr Gates said: "We
are simply reaffirming that statement of the importance of the Gulf
region to the United States and our determination to be an ongoing
strong presence in that area for a long time into the future."

His remarks followed tough comments on Iran at the weekend from other
senior US officials. The vice-president, Dick Cheney, accused Iran of
"fishing in troubled waters inside Iraq", while the national security
adviser, Stephen Hadley, said the US was "going to need to deal with
what Iran is doing inside Iraq".

Such remarks, following the prospect of "hot pursuit" raids into Iran
as
raised by George Bush in his televised address last week, have fuelled
speculation that the US is softening up the American public for
possible
action against Tehran.

The increasingly confrontational pose struck by the US is a repudiation
of one of the key recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which called
for the start of a dialogue with Iran and Syria in an effort to
extricate the US from Iraq.

Mr Gates, who as recently as 2004 publicly called for diplomatic
engagement with Iran, said the situation was now different. In 2004,
Iran was concerned by the presence of US forces on its eastern and
western borders, in Iraq and Afghanistan, but its behaviour had
changed.

"The Iranians clearly believe that we are tied down in Iraq, that they
have the initiative, that they are in position to press us in many
ways," he said. "They are doing nothing to be constructive in Iraq at
this point."

"And so the Iranians are acting in a very negative way in many
respects.
My view is that when the Iranians are prepared to play a constructive
role in dealing with some of these problems then there might be
opportunities for engagement."

Besides concerns about Iran's nuclear programme, the US has accused
Tehran of supporting Shia militia and of not doing enough to stop
foreign fighters from infiltrating Iraq.

US-led forces in northern Iraq arrested five Iranians last week who the
US military says were connected to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard
faction that funds and arms insurgents in Iraq - a claim Iran has
rejected.

Meanwhile, Iran said it was installing 3,000 centrifuges, effectively
confirming that its nuclear programme was running behind schedule as
these devices for uranium enrichment were meant to have been in place
by
the end of last year.

"We are moving toward the production of nuclear fuel, which requires
3,000 centrifuges and more than this figure," the government spokesman
Gholamhossein Elham told a news conference. "This programme is being
carried out and moving toward completion."

At the weekend, Iran dismissed reports from Europe that its uranium
enrichment programme had stalled. Enriched uranium is used as fuel in
nuclear reactors and, at a higher degree of enrichment, in atomic
bombs.

Iran has condemned as "invalid" and "illegal" a UN security council
resolution that imposed sanctions on it last month for its refusal to
halt uranium enrichment.

Source: Guardian

Russia's terrorism alert sparks nation wide security operation; Moscow fears attack on public transport

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/world/Viewdet.asp?ID=8916&cat=a

Russia's terrorism alert sparks nationwide security operation; Moscow
fears attack on public transport
MOSCOW (AFP): Russia on Wednesday launched a nationwide security
operation following an unconfirmed foreign intelligence tip-off about a
plan to attack public transport. Bomb-sniffing dogs were deployed in
underground metro systems, extra roadblocks were mounted in war-torn
Chechnya, and passengers in airports and train stations were subjected
to increased checks, Russian news agencies reported from across the
country. Mobile phone connections were disabled inside the Moscow metro
and an extra 5,000 interior ministry troops were sent to support police
in major cities, security service officials said.

The terrorism scare began late Tuesday when the director of the federal
security service (FSB), Nikolai Patrushev, said that foreign
intelligence had warned of a threat to the transport system. No further
clue was given as to the origin of the information. However, late
Wednesday the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said the alert remained
unconfirmed. "Data confirming the information from foreign partners has
not been received at present," committee spokesman Nikolai Sintsov told
Russian news agencies. Sintsov said security measures had "minimised"
the threat. Russia, which for 12 years has fought a bloody campaign to
suppress separatists in Chechnya, has seen a series of major assaults
on
civilians, including the downing of two passenger planes, bomb attacks
in Moscow, and mass hostage takings.

However, the new security alert was unusual because there has been no
significant attack in more than a year. The Chechen conflict has
simmered down, while state-dominated media regularly portray the
security situation as having been brought under control. AFP
correspondents in Moscow and Saint Petersburg saw modest increases to
numbers of police patrols on the metro systems, although there was no
sign of extra security in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok or in
the
North Caucasus city of Vladikavkaz. All day, national television gave
blanket coverage to the alert, listing telephone numbers for the
interior ministry and FSB, which is the main successor to the Soviet
KGB, and airing comments by pro-Kremlin politicians.

"Unfortunately, terrorism... remains a serious danger," lower house
speaker Boris Gryzlov said. "It is very important that those who think
up inhuman acts do not succeed in their underlying goal: to sow a mood
of panic." Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov announced he had ordered
"additional measures for protection of especially important facilities,
both military and civilian, and government structures," Interfax news
agency reported. The interior ministry said "particular attention is
being paid to ensuring security in the eight Russian cities that have
metros," RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The three main mobile phone operators, MTS, Vimpelkom and Megafon,
announced they had disabled connections inside Moscow's metro system.
Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed police source as saying this was
ordered by the FSB. Among other security measures announced were
increased controls at power stations run by the UES energy monopoly,
although safety at nuclear power stations was considered to be already
sufficient, Itar-Tass reported. Sheremetyevo, Domededovo and Vnukovo
airports outside Moscow, which serve both foreign and domestic routes,
were also on alert, Itar-Tass reported.

"Yesterday evening extra air safety measures were introduced. In
particular there is a 100 percent check of passengers and baggage, as
well as an increase in the number of security staff for the terminal
and
other parts of the airport," a Sheremetyevo spokesman was quoted as
saying.
Moscow schools cancelled trips organised for Wednesday, RIA Novosti
quoted the city education department as saying.
Patrols and roadblocks were stepped up in Chechnya and neighbouring
Ingushetia --- both of which continue to see clashes between troops and
local rebels --- news agencies quoted law enforcement officials as
saying.

Duma protests against adopting Estonia's law on Soviet monuments

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11163805&PageNum=0

Duma protests against adopting Estonia's law on Soviet monuments

17.01.2007, 18.34

MOSCOW, January 17 (Itar-Tass) - The State Duma strongly protested
against adopting a law by Estonia that bans the removal of monuments to
Soviet soldiers.

A statement to this effect was adopted by Duma lawmakers at their
session on Wednesday.

In their view, the approval of such law by Estonia's parliament is
aimed
at "abolishing the memory of those who fight against fascism and
proving
of Estonian authorities' intention to pursue the policy towards the
heroisation of fascism".

To this end, the State Duma urged the president and the government to
focus on further development of trade and economic relations between
Russia and Estonia "regarding how Estonian authorities will carry out
the provisions of the law due to the law 'On Special Economic
Measures'". This law allows the president to impose economic sanctions
against any states. Among such measures are to suspend programmes of
economic, technical and military assistance; to ban financial and
foreign economic operations; as well as to bar Estonian ships to
Russian
ports; and use Russia's airspace.

Russian lawmakers believe it necessary "to state of the need to
continue
contacts with representatives of Estonian political forces that have
initiated the debates and the adoption of such law".

The lawmakers also called on European parliaments to condemn Estonia's
actions.

At the same time, deputy head of the Russian delegation to the PACE
Leonid Slutsky told journalists that Estonia's problem might be raised
at the Assembly's January session. "We are convinced that the European
community should give an assessment to the events in Estonia and
condemn
the actions taken by Estonia's parliament," he said.

The lawmaker said any attempts to revise the results of World War II
and
any efforts towards the heroisation of fascism are inadmissible.

"If anything terrible happens and the monuments are demolished, we'll
enable the Russian government to take the most decisive measures in
this
aspect," State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Konstantin
Kosachev said.

Kosachev reminded that late last year, a law was adopted in Russia
allowing the Russian president to slap economic sanction against other
states in the condition of international emergency situations. "I don't
rule out that we may take specific economic measures against Estonia
within the framework of the effective law," he said.

The law, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 31,
gives the head of state the right to impose economic sanctions in the
conditions of international emergency.

Special economic sanctions can be imposed against any persons or states
upon the proposal by the Federation Council upper house of parliament
or
the State Duma, as well as by the Russian government.

Economic sanctions cannot last for more than four years, but can be
extended by another two years. The list of sanctions and their duration
is determined by the Russian government on the strength of the
president's decision.

The sanctions are viewed as interim economic measures, applied with the
purpose of eliminating or minimising the threat to human health, rights
and freedoms and national security.

Estonian politicians' bid to review the results of the World War II for
the sake of political situation should meet with an adequate response,
members of the Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament
told Itar-Tass.

The senators were commenting on the law, passed by that Baltic
republic,
which allows the removal of monuments to Soviet soldiers.

This issue may be raised on January 24, when the FC will meet for its
first session this year, Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov
said.

He denounced the war against monuments and considered it "immoral and
unpromising". "We cannot keep silent and pretend that nothing is
happening."

Senators believe that this theme should be raised internationally.
Chairman of the house committee on international affairs Mikhail
Margelov, who heads a group of European democrats at PACE, said the
issue will be certainly raised at the January session of the Assembly.

"What Estonian parliamentarians are doing now cannot be called other
than PR campaign on bones of the dead," he said. The intention to open
graves of Soviet soldiers in Tallinn means "the glorification of
fascism."

On January 10, the Estonian parliament approved the so-called law on
the
protection of wartime burial places, which sets groundwork for the
removal of monuments to Soviet soldiers and relocation of their graves.
It provides for reburial of soldiers' remains in case of the
construction of public facilities near mass graves for simply for
"security considerations".

The lawl, sought by the nationalist circles of the Baltic state, was
initiated by the opposition parties Isamaaliit, Res Publica, Social
Democrats and the pro-premier Reform Party.

China's defence report highlights grow ing dangers of war

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/jan2007/chin-j18.shtml

China's defence report highlights growing dangers of war
By John Chan
18 January 2007

China's military and strategic assessment, "National Defence in 2006",
published in late December, is a highly political document that
reflects
Beijing's reaction to growing Great Power rivalry.

The White Paper, the fifth since 1998, is largely a response to
increasing pressure from Washington. Since Bush came to power in 2001,
the Pentagon has published a series of annual reports presenting the
Chinese military as a "threat" to the US. Chinese President Hu Jintao
has sought to down play the criticism, saying that his country was
engaged in a "peaceful rise".

In a bid to deflect Washington's claims that China's military build-up
is "secretive", the latest report provided far more detail about the
country's military apparatus than previously. It provided information
about defence spending, the command structure and an overview of
military policy. The government held a special press conference on the
report for some 70 military attaches from 45 countries.

However, China's economic dynamism has an objective logic of its own.
With an average annual growth rate of 10 percent and $1 trillion in
foreign currency reserves, Beijing has been able to boost investment in
the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Moreover, China's scramble for oil
and raw materials around the world have led it into direct competition
with the US, Japan and the European powers.

China's growing ties with Russia in the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) have cut across US ambitions to dominate the Middle East and Central Asia. In Asia, Latin America and Africa, Beijing is
engaged in extending its influence, offering aid in return for
resources. China has supported and even provided arms for regimes in
Sudan, Venezuela and Burma that Washington is openly hostile to.

The defence report points to growing concerns in Beijing about the Bush
administration's aggression in the Middle East and internationally. Its
first chapter accessing China's "security environment" warned of the
"practice of a small number of countries that have intensified their
military alliances and resorted to force or threats of force in
international affairs".

The chapter warned particularly of the danger of a US-led strategic
realignment in Asia. "The United States and Japan are strengthening
their military alliance in pursuit of operational integration. Japan
seeks to revise its constitution and exercise collective self-defence.
Its military posture is becoming more external-oriented. The DPRK
[North
Korea] has launched missile tests and conducted a nuclear test. Thus,
the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in North East Asia has become
more complex and challenging."

China is deeply concerned at the encouragement given by the Bush
administration to Japan to play a more belligerent role in North East
Asia. Beijing also fears that North Korea's nuclear test in October
could provide a pretext for Japan to develop nuclear weapons. The Bush
administration's thinly disguised pressure for "regime change" in North Korea poses the threat of a politically hostile state on China's
doorstep.

The paper specifically named a formal declaration of independence in
Taiwan, backed by the US, as the biggest threat to China's national
security and territorial integrity. Beijing regards Taiwan as a
renegade
province and fears moves towards independence would encourage
separatist
movements elsewhere in China. The US has pledged to militarily defend
the island from Chinese attack and, more importantly, has encouraged
Japan to assist in any military action over Taiwan.

Washington has a series of military alliances or strategic arrangements
with countries along or near China's borders and coastline, including
South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan as
well as several Central Asia nations. China is expanding its military
in
response to the threatened US encirclement and to guarantee supplies of
raw materials, particularly oil.

China's defence expenditure is expected to reach 283.8 yuan this year,
or $US36.4 billion, up nearly 15 percent from 2005. From 1990 to 2005,
China's average annual increase in military spending was 15.36 percent.
The White Paper tried to play down the increases saying that the rises
mostly went to salaries. It also declared that China's military
spending
accounted for less than 1.4 percent of its Gross Domestic Product
(GDP),
compared to 6.2 percent by the US.

China made two huge separate cutbacks in troop numbers in 1983 and 1997
totalling one and a half million. Another reduction of 200,000 troops
took place between 2003-2005. The PLA currently has 2.3 million
personnel, the largest armed forces in the world. In addition, China
has
a 660,000-strong People's Armed Police Force, mainly to suppress
domestic unrest.

The Pentagon claims that China's annual military budget is two or three
times higher than the official figures because Beijing does include the
cost of foreign weapon procurement or income from military-related
businesses in its defence budget. While American analysts claim have
accused the Pentagon's estimates of exaggerating the Chinese "threat"
to
justify increased US military spending, the pace of China's military
modernisation has undoubtedly stepped up since the early 1990s.

Until the 1970s, Mao Zedong's peasant-based PLA was poorly equipped.
Its
main tactic in the event of US or Soviet aggression was to have a "sea
of men" to encircle the invaders. In the 1980s, the US sought to use
China as a counterweight to the Soviet Union and actively encouraged
Beijing to use the proceeds of "market reform" to modernise its
military.

A fundamental shift took place in 1990-91, following the collapse of
the
Soviet Union. Chinese generals were shocked by the devastating defeat
inflicted by the US on the Iraqi army in the first Gulf War. Beijing
characterised it as a new era of "military revolution" dominated by
hi-tech warfare. The Chinese leadership declared that the PLA had to
catch up or go under as the US used its military superiority might to
achieve global strategic dominance.

However, after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, the major Western
powers had imposed an arms embargo. So China turned to Russia and
became
its largest customer for jet fighters, attack submarines and advanced
military technologies. While Beijing's immediate concern was the rising
pro-independence movement in Taiwan, it also wanted the means to
counter
the emerging US strategic encirclement.

The section in the 2006 White Paper on "National Defence Policy"
elaborates China's goal of building a hi-tech military by 2050. The aim
is to take "mechanisation as the foundation and informationisation as
the driving force". The report's central emphasis is on an "active
defence" and the ability to rapidly project a coordinated military
force
outside China's immediate region with maximum hi-tech firepower.

Despite its rapid economic growth, China is far from being a mature
industrial power. Its new generations of aircraft, tanks and warships
are largely based on copying and extending the limited foreign
technologies to which it has access. The PLA has not yet built a fully
mechanised army, nor are its poorly educated peasant conscripts able to
fight "informationised warfare". China has built nuclear-powered
submarines, but not a blue-water navy. Its air force is equipped with
some precision-guided weapons, but its numerical strength is still
based
on antiquated Soviet jets.

In the area of nuclear weapons, China lags far behind the US. The White
Paper reiterated the country's official "no first use" nuclear policy
and declared that China would not engage in a nuclear arms race. But
the
document has little to say about the country's nuclear arsenal.

A study entitled "Chinese Nuclear Forces and US Nuclear War Planning"
published in November by the Federation of American Scientists and
Natural Resources Defense Council found that the Pentagon and the CIA
have deliberately exaggerated the Chinese nuclear "threat" to justify
US
spending on a new generation of nuclear weapons.

"Some in the United States argue that China is the next great threat
and
therefore new weapons and increased military spending are necessary.
Some in China see recent US-led wars, military modernisations, and
aggressive strategies and policies as proof of American 'hegemony' and
argue that this requires them to modernise their military. Both
countries are investing large sums of money in planning for war, and
any
US-China war comes with potential of escalating use of nuclear
weapons,"
it warned.

The US stockpile of 10,000 nuclear weapons dwarfs that of China, which
is estimated at just 200. China has only 20 intercontinental ballistic
missiles (ICBM) capable of hitting the US, while the US has more than
830---most with multiple nuclear warheads---that can reach China. The
US is
also far ahead of China in nuclear technology, strategic submarines
capable of launching nuclear weapons and nuclear air strike capability.

The study estimated even a limited nuclear exchange would result in
huge
casualties. A US nuclear strike just on China's 20 ICBM silos would
kill
and injure 26 million people, while the study found the US has had
plans
for "much larger strikes" against China in the past. A Chinese attack
on
continental US with all of its 20 nuclear missiles can cause an
estimated 40 million casualties. The figure would be much higher if
China was able to deploy 75-100 nuclear warheads as predicted by the
US.

There are signs, however, that the US is striving for nuclear
primacy---that is, the ability to prevent nuclear retaliation in
response
to a first strike. Such a capacity would fundamentally alter the
strategic equation, which, during the Cold War, was based on the
paradigm of Mutually Assured Destruction---that is, a standoff in which
neither side launches a first strike for fear of a devastating
retaliatory attack. The Bush administration is not only refining its
offensive nuclear capacity but is also developing an anti-ballistic
missile system aimed at minimising any effective retaliation.

As potential targets of a US attack, China and Russia have been
compelled to respond developing new generations of mobile ICBM's to
evade a first strike. The Bush administration has repeatedly criticised
China for its "secretive" defence expansion. But its own relentless
military build up, as well as its aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan,
constitute the overriding destabilising factor in world politics and
heighten the danger of war.

[???]

CK: K. Moskalenko: Russia authorities imitate enforcement of European Court's judgements on Chechnya cases

Caucasian Knot /Memorial
16/1/2007

K. Moskalenko: Russia authorities imitate enforcement of European
Court's judgements on Chechnya cases

The trend of recent years - hampering by the state of enforcement of
the
decisions of the European Court in the territory of the Russian Federation - may result in suspension of the Council of Europe
membership. This is the opinion of Karina Moskalenko, Commissioner of
the International Board of Lawyers and project manager at the Centre
for
Promoting International Defence.

The Centre for Promoting International Defence was founded in December
1994 as an independent non-commercial public organization uniting
professional lawyers-human rights defenders. Experts of the Centre are
engaged in rendering assistance to victims of human rights violations
by
means of international legal mechanisms: the European Court for Human
Rights, the UN Committee for Human Rights, the European Committee
against Tortures, Inhuman or Humiliating Treatment and Punishment, and
topical mechanisms of the United Nations. As of January 2007, the
European Court has passed judgements on the merits of 17 cases, which
were presented by the Centre's advocates and lawyers, on 19 more cases
the eligibility rulings have been adopted. Thus, the lawyers who
cooperate with the Centre are covering about eight percent of all
Russian cases considered by the European Court (about 300 cases in
total).

According to the experts, as of today, apart from the cases of YUKOS
and
Mr. Khodorkovskiy, their priorities are the cases related to the
situation in the places of detention and in Chechnya. According to
Oksana Preobrazhenskaya, Director of the Centre, over 15,000
applications have arrived from the persons who have found themselves in
the places of imprisonment for whatever reason.

Answering the question whether the Russian Federation fulfils the
European Court's decisions, Ms. Moskalenko replied that decisions on
monetary payments are really enforced. But as to decisions concerning
the measures of more general character, there is a feeling of
insufficiency of the efforts undertaken by the state.

http://eng.kavkaz.memo.ru/newstext/engnews/id/1172819.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/

Kommersant: Terrorist Alarm a Drill

Kommersant
Jan. 18, 2007

Terrorist Alarm a Drill *

// Antiterrorism committee pulls country's leg

The country was waiting for a terrorist act in underground or
aboveground transportation yesterday. Chairman of the National
Antiterrorism Committee Nikolay Patrushev announced the threat and
ordered all law-enforcement units throughout the country on high alert
and urged the public to “raise its level of caution.” In the Moscow
Metro, cellular communications were even turned off to counteract
terrorist action. Only in the evening did it become known that it was a
training alert.

Late Tuesday evening, the heads of all law enforcement bodies in the
country received special communiqu?s from NAC head Patrushev placing
them on alert in connection with the threat of terrorist acts in
underground or aboveground transportation. Security at airports and
railway lines was increased in all large cities. Explosives-sniffing
dogs were put on patrol in the Moscow Metro and cellular communications
were turned off from 10:00 a.m. to midnight on January 17. Cellular
operators said that they took that measure after receiving phone calls
(and later written instructions) from the Ministry of IT and
Communications. No reason was stated for the measure was stated in the
instructions. Explosives specialists explained to Kommersant that
cellular communications are used heavily by modern terrorists. Bombs
can
be set off by calls to mobile telephones mounted on them and
diversionary activities are coordinated by phone. The NAC also issued a
statement yesterday calling on the public to ”raise its level of
caution.”

Certain information received by the NAC “from foreign partners” was
the
motivation for the unprecedented measures, according to central
television stations. Law enforcement declined to release any specifics
about the information received. Kommersant learned, however, that it
concerned a group or groups equipped with up to 60 kg. of an explosive
substance.

It is also known that the terrorist act was planned for January 17 in
the Metro or aboveground transportation system of one or more Russian
cities – Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk. That
was
the “urgent information” received from the NAC by the police of all
large cities in Russia.

It is possible that there was no information from foreign partners. In
any case, a nationwide alert was declared after an anonymous threat of
an explosion at the airport in Orenburg was made. Kommersant learned
that security at the airport was increased on Tuesday evening and
police
began to patrol the perimeters of the airport. Examinations of
passengers and baggage were also intensified, but no suspicious objects
were found. “The airport worked on its usual schedule, there were no
delayed flights,” the Orenburg airport security service told
Kommersant
yesterday.

Law enforcement took the anonymous threat quite seriously and took a
number of special measures in other large cities in Russia. Moreover, a
number of regional leaders in the North Caucasus made statements about
the dissolution of criminal bands there after an amnesty for members of
underground groups. Such PR actions are usually followed by new
terrorist acts, so law enforcement had reason to expect militant
activity. Separatist leader Akhmed Zakaev told Kommersant yesterday,
“Mr. Patrushev's prophecy of a terrorist threat is apparently
connected
with expectations of activity by resistance units. The amnesty that was
declared super successful in reality practically had no effect on the
real fighting Chechen, as Patrushev admitted with his statement. Who
will commit terrorist acts if all the militants have given themselves
up?” The authorities, foreseeing that the information from the NAC
could
cast doubt on the results of the amnesty in Chechnya, quickly stated
that there was no connection between the events in Chechnya and the
terrorist threat in Russia. Deputy speaker of the Federation Council
Alexander Torshin, for example, said that said that “this is not
directly linked with Chechnya.”

The massive informational campaign gave results. Police departments
were
flooded with reports of “suspicious Caucasians” and dangerous
object.
Public gathering places were much les crowded than usual. It is
possible
that that was the main goal of law enforcement – preparing the ground
socially for the adoption of strict new measures and laws. One of them,
on transportation security, was passed by the State Duma yesterday in
its second reading.

“It's not a matter of any police measures,” Mikhail Babich, deputy
chairman of the Duma Defense Committee told Kommersant. “Go to the
United States once and try to go through passport control. That is a
police state and a police regime. In our fairly liberal state, it is
high time to carry out periodically the comprehensive events that are
underway now. It is normal world practice to take certain restrictive
measures during the period of verification of information about a
terrorist threat.” Chairman of the Duma Security Committee Vladimir
Vasilyev, who was one of the most mentioned figures in Russian
newscasts
yesterday, called on the public to “look around more attentively at
those who behave suspiciously, commit suspicious acts, and report it by
the usual mean so that competent bodies can carry out verification and
prevent the terrible evil hat threatens us at the prophylactic
stage.”

In the evening, the NAC issued a statement saying that the alarm was
false. “The information received from our overseas colleagues at
present
has not been confirmed,” stated official NAC spokesman Nikolay
Sintsov.
He added that the measures taken “minimized the threat of a terrorist
act.” Sintsov thanked the public for “an active civic position and
caution demonstrated.” He said that calls from the public led to the
discovery of several kilograms of explosives in Tyumen Region and
packages containing a suspicious substance in Voikovskaya Station in
the
Moscow Metro. Then it became clear that the NAC had only carried out a
training drill, in which all of Russian society had participated.

How Russia Has Prepared Itself for Terrorist Attacks

On November 28, 2003, Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Chekalin
announced that the Interior Ministry considered a terrorist act
possible
on December 7, the day of State Duma elections. Among the preventative
measures taken was increased watch over places where ticket for public
transportation were sold and where arms were stored. There were no
terrorist acts on that day.

In August 2004, law enforcement bodies in Ingushetia and North Ossetia
were warned of a terrorist threat. On August 6, Interior Minister
Rashid
Nurgaliev required that all police units in the North Caucasus be
beefed
up. On August 16, the FSB Department for North Ossetia was warned by
its
Chechen colleagues about a large-scale action “according to the
Budennovsk scenario,” and a similar warning was made in Ingushetia on
August 29. In spite of the warnings, law enforcement was unable (**) to
prevent seizure of School No. 1 in Beslan on September 1.

On December 16, 2004, FSB chief Nikolay Patrushev stated that his
agency
had information about preparations for terrorist acts in St. Petersburg
and Leningrad Region and called their prevention a “main task.” The
steps taken to prevent that threat were not made publicly known. There
were no terrorist acts recorded in that area at the end of 2004 or
beginning of 2005.

On July 7, 2005, First Deputy Interior Minister Chekalin announced
increased security measures in Russia in connection with the explosions
in London. Security was increased at embassies, airports, train
stations
and public utilities. Additional police forces patrolled the Metro and
accompanied trains and ships. No terrorist actions took place.

On November 7, 2006, FSB director Nikolay Patrushev stated that he had
information on terrorist acts being prepared for in the water system in
southern Russia – Volgograd Reservoir, the Tsimlyansky water system
in
Rostov Region and facilities in Saratov Region and Dagestan. Security
was increased at all of those facilities. No information was released
about terrorist acts that were committed or prevented.

Olga Allenova, Musa Muradov, Andrey Salnikov, Ivan Cheberko

http://www.kommersant.com/p734785/terrorism_security/

* Russians who remember Ryazan '99 might be a little weary of such
drills.
** With the evidence available today, the word "unwilling" might come
closer to the truth. N.S.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/

http://www.google.com/search?q=Russians+who+remember+Ryazan+%2799+&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US

http://www.google.com/search?q=terrorist+acts+being+prepared+for+in+the+water+system+&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US

Good and various:

http://www.google.com/search?q=terrorist+acts+being+prepared+for+in+the+water+system+in+%0D%0Asouthern+Russia+&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US

http://www.google.com/search?q=August+16%2C+the+FSB+Department+for+North+Ossetia+was+warned+by+%0D%0Aits+%0D%0AChechen+colleagues+about+a+large-scale+action+&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US

http://www.google.com/search?q=seizure+of+School+No.+1+in+Beslan+on+September+1.+&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US

I had asked myself "why??", the paragraph below, may be the why, it is from above in this article............granny

[Public gathering places were much les crowded than usual. It is
possible
that that was the main goal of law enforcement – preparing the ground
socially for the adoption of strict new measures and laws. One of them,
on transportation security, was passed by the State Duma yesterday in
its second reading. ]

German ex-Chancellor Schroeder praises Putin for 'stability and
reliability'

The Associated Press
Published: January 17, 2007

BERLIN: Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder praised Russian
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday for putting Russia "on a path to
stability" and warned those doubting Moscow's reliability as a gas and
oil supplier that other sources could be far less steady.

Schroeder urged a forum on Russia to consider its lack of democratic
traditions during the tsarist and Communist periods, and the chaos of
the post-Soviet 1990s, before judging Putin.

"I think it's not bowing before someone, but historical truth when one
says that President Putin's historical achievement is that after this
decade he has put Russia, in both domestic and foreign policy, on a
path
to stability and reliability," Schroeder said.

Social Democrat Schroeder and Putin forged a close personal
relationship, and after leaving office in November 2005 Schroeder took
over as chairman of a joint Russian-German consortium building a gas
pipeline under the Baltic Sea. He and his wife, Doris Schroeder-Koepf,
have adopted two children from Putin's hometown of St. Petersburg.

The pipeline will permit Germany to import Russian natural gas
directly,
without it having to pass through other countries. Disputes with
Ukraine
and Belarus led to brief pipeline shutdowns in January last year and
this year, interrupting deliveries to Germany and Europe.

The shutdowns have fueled a debate about how Europe will secure its gas
and oil supplies, and whether Russian can be counted on to keep
disputes
with its near neighbors in the former Soviet Union from interrupting a
key commercial relationship with Europe. Germany gets about a third of
its natural gas from Russia, and imports are expected to increase in
years ahead.

Additionally, the unsolved killings of journalist Anna Politkovskaya
and
top banking regulator Andrei Kozlov, along with legislation putting new
burdens on non-governmental organizations, have reinforced concerns in
Europe about Russia's progress toward building a law-governed state
that
respects human rights.

Schroeder said Europe must deepen its ties with Russia and warned that
other countries with natural gas and oil reserves — such as Iraq and
Iran — compared unfavorably to Russia when it came to concerns about
long-term stability.

Schroeder's successor, conservative Angela Merkel, has taken a less
warmly personal approach to the relationship and met with members of
non-governmental organizations while visiting Moscow. She too backs the
pipeline project, however.

Schroeder praised Putin but also hedged a bit by referring to
"democratization" instead of outright "democracy" when describing
Russian politics.

"State authority is being restored, the trust of the citizens in state
institutions has grown, the standard of living has rising, and there
has
been a beginning, and a successful one at that, in building up the rule
of law," Schroeder told the forum, organized by the German Council on
Foreign Relations and Moscow-based Russia Profile magazine.

"And that is the precondition for a comprehensive democratization," he
said. "There is no democratic condition without a functioning state."

Schroeder acknowledged concerns about human rights and said that no
one,
not even the Russian government, denies that there are shortcomings.
"In
many areas, the country is at the beginning of a long development."

Igor Shuvalov, the Russian official helping prepare the Group of Eight
summit in Germany this summer, also addressed the forum, defending
Russia's actions in its recent pipeline dispute over pricing and
transit
fees with Belarus by blaming Belarus. Russia demanded prices closer to
world market rates after years of supplying Minsk with gas well below
market rates.

Shuvalov said the cutoff was "force majeure," or an event beyond
Russia's immediate control. "Russia did nothing to stop supply," he
said. "For us, the strategic energy relationship is very important."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chechnya-sl/

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