The Alfa Spetsnaz group tried to assault the hospital, and he and his boys slaughtered them. Initially he seemed to be a real Chechen nationalist , but gradually fell under the influence of a guy named Khattabi (first name escapes me just now) who was from the Gulf and on the Wahabbist payroll. Khattabi has since met his fate at the hands of the Russians (good job, comrades!) and Shamil has lost a leg in combat. But he keeps on ticking. Too bad how these things sometimes work out, but the Russians definitely need to nail him now.