Russia’s Top Prosecutor Suggests Taking Hostages to Fight Terror

mosnews.com ^ | 29.10.2004 16:24 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 18:02 MSK | MosNews

[Destro]

Russia’s Top Prosecutor Suggests Taking Hostages to Fight Terror

Created: 29.10.2004 16:24 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 18:02 MSK, 5 hours 31 minutes ago

MosNews

Russia’s Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov has proposed taking hostages as a possible measure to fight terrorism.

“Detaining terrorists’ relatives during a terror attack would certainly help us save people,” Ustinov told the State Duma, speaking at a conference of law enforcement officials and law makers on the war on terror, the Russian Information Agency Novosti reported.

In his address, he urged parliament to consider the issue as they revise the law on terrorism.

In response, Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov said Russia’s parliament is prepared to consider an amendment to the existing law on terrorism to allow the possibility of federal forces taking hostages in the case of a terror attack.

At this point, Gryzlov noted, laws stipulate that terrorists’ relatives can be used for the purpose of negotiation, but their participation is voluntary. The amendment proposed by Ustinov would allow the federal forces to confine the relatives of terrorists by force if necessary.

FSB head Nikolai Patrushev, for his part, applauded suggestions to amend the current law on terrorism to give law enforcement authorities greater power in apprehending terrorists, but did not comment on Ustinov’s proposal in particular.

Allegations have appeared in the past that federal forces took as many as 40 people hostage during the Beslan school siege. All of them were reported to be relatives of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov.

In another case earlier in the year, several other relatives were reportedly taken hostage and forced to spend days on their knees.

[adam_az]

This is pretty dumb, people aren't responsible for the crimes of their relatives.

[proxy_user]

Not only that, but can you dissuade suicide bombers by threatening to harm their relatives? I didn't think so.

[Destro]

The US Army took hostages in WW2. Executed dozens of Nazis as reprisals for acts of guerilas and terrorisism. I guess it worked.

[camle]

gonna look pretty inpotent if they call your bluff. just what IS the government gonna do with these "hostages"?

[LiberalBassTurds]

Worth a try. Nothing else, short of killing, them seems to dissuade them.

[AdmSmith]

Allegations have appeared in the past that federal forces took as many as 40 people hostage during the Beslan school siege. All of them were reported to be relatives of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov.

If that is true it is a proof that the Russians have very bad intelligence as they targeted the wrong person.

[monday]

This would only work if the terrorists actually cared about their relatives. I don't think terrorists do. If they did, they wouldn't put them at risk.

People assume that terrorists are just like they are. That they love their families, that they would do anything to keep them safe. People assume wrong.

Terrorists love to hate. They love the feeling of righteous indignation. They are in love with the idea of dieing a courageous death for their cause. If their families don't share in this passion, and in most cases they do not, at least to the degree the terrorists do, then the terrorists may not even LIKE their families.

At any rate. The families of these terrorists will always be safer in the hands of the Russian government than they would be otherwise. The families of the terrorists victims are a much greater threat to the terrorists families than the government will ever be.

[justin-garrett]

gonna look pretty inpotent if they call your bluff. just what IS the government gonna do with these "hostages"?

I don't think the Russians are the type to bluff, and I think this would actually help get the job done, even if it is excessive.

[Melas]

Truly sick. Let's say that a government does take hostages. What kind of sick freak are you going to get to execute a 12 year old girl for what uncle Abdul did?

[Destro]

The assumption is they will be killed.

[Destro]

why would they execute the girl? adults get axed - threaten to raise Children as Christians. See how that works.

[Bigg Red]

“Detaining terrorists’ relatives during a terror attack would certainly help us save people,”

&&
I doubt that as those animals have no respect for human life.

[mlocher]

the only reason to detain relatives would be to protect them from angry mobs. overall bad idea

[He Rides A White Horse]

I'll stick with burying them uncleanly. Such as with the corpse of a pig.

[Modernman]

why would they execute the girl? adults get axed - threaten to raise Children as Christians. See how that works.

You'd be willing to kill some guy who just happens to be related to a terrorist?

[CaptainAwesome2]

interesting idea. im sure they wouldnt appreciate their children being taken from them and being raised as christians or maybe even jews.

[Destro]

See that would be a fate worse than death for a Muslim - it would make their Islamist martyrdom useless.