"After the first Chechen war ended in 1996, the province descended into lawlessness, and kidnappings became rife as rebel warlords fell out with Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov.
Victims included British aid workers Jon James and Camilla Carr, who were freed in September 1998 after a year in captivity, and four engineers who were kidnapped but later found beheaded. Herbert Gregg, an American missionary held hostage for seven months and released in July 1999, said much of his treatment was good - despite the fact that the rebels videoed themselves cutting one of his fingers off."
A week later, several pro-Chechen gunmen seized about 120 tourists at a luxury Istanbul hotel in protest against the war.
In July 2001, up to 30 people were held in searing heat on a bus in southern Russia by a Chechen man demanding the release of five Chechens who had been captured in a previous hijacking.
And in May 2002, a lone gunman held about 10 people hostage - again at an Istanbul hotel. They were all released unharmed.
"... A week later, several pro-Chechen gunmen seized about 120 tourists at a luxury Istanbul hotel in protest against the war. In July 2001, up to 30 people were held in searing heat on a bus in southern Russia by a Chechen man demanding the release of five Chechens who had been captured in a previous hijacking. And in May 2002, a lone gunman held about 10 people hostage ..."It seems I've missed a lot of Chechnyan action. Thanks, MarMema.
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