20 killed in suicide attack at Moscow rock festival

Hindustan Times ^ | Moscow, July 5

[DeaconBenjamin]

At least 20 people died, and many more were seriously injured after two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at a rock concert being held at a Moscow airfield on Saturday, news agencies reported.

Meanwhile, a new explosion hit the city, agencies are quoting security officials as saying. The new explosion comes less than two hours after the concert blast. However, it has not been confirmed by the Emergencies Ministry.

Three explosions hit the Tushino airfield in north-west Moscow where around 40,000 people had gathered to celebrate the Krylya (wings) festival -- a popular summer event for young music fans in Moscow, Interfax news agency said quoting sources in the Interior Ministry and police.

The two women blew themselves up at a ticket booth at the entrance to the concert after police prevented them from entering the site, ITAR-TASS said.

A third blast went off at a nearby market, the FSB security services told news agencies.

Interfax quoted police as saying the death toll stood at 17, with 22 people hospitalisd in serious condition with shrapnel wounds. The bombs were packed with at least half-a-kilogram of explosives each, police said.

The concert organisers told ITAR-TASS around 40,000 people were attending the annual event.

President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed of the blasts and the state prosecutor's office launched an investigation into "terrorism," Interfax said.

Female suicide bombers carried out a series of kamikaze attacks that killed nearly 100 people in the breakaway republic of Chechnya in May.

Most of the Chechens who held some 800 people hostage in a Moscow theatre for three days in October were also women.

That attack brought the war in Chechnya to the heart of Russian capital for the first time since a series of fatal apartment blasts in August 1999 that prompted Putin to send troops back into the breakaway republic.

Russian troops have been fighting separatist rebels in the mainly Muslim republic ever since.

Daily battles and attacks continue despite Putin's declaration that the war has ended as a result of a peace plan and a constitutional referendum he launched in March.

Rebels appear to be following through on a pledge to step up attacks to disrupt the outcome of that referendum, in which Chechens approved a decision that their republic would remain within the Russian Federation.

[DeaconBenjamin]

Another report on the attack

[tomahawk]

Sick death cults do this. Sick death cults should be eradicated.

[MarMema]

Scummy chechens.

[rageaholic]

These are not "rebels" they are part of the same organziation that al kaida belongs to: islam.

[Glenn]

This is the new world that Bush understands. He and Putin have that in common. This could be the longest war the world has ever known. One that cannot be won by either side. You take the casualties and move on, I guess.

[friendly]

I e-mailed condolences to the Russian Cultural branch of the Russian embassy in Washingtion: rcci@erols.com

[maestro]

Most of the Chechens who held some 800 people hostage in a Moscow theatre for three days in October were also women.

?....Women = Lesbians?

[tomahawk]

One of Moscow bombers identified - sources MOSCOW. July 5 (Interfax) - A passport was found on the body of one of the women suicide attackers killed by their own bombs during a rock concert in Moscow on Saturday, law enforcement sources told Interfax. The passport identified the bomber as Zulikhan Likhadzhiyeva. [tomahawk: This is a Chechen-sounding name] No comments were available from the city police authority or prosecution service but Moscow Prosecutor Mikhail Avdyukov told Interfax the bombers "can be identified." Avdyukov said the type of the bombs was still unclear but that it was suspected to have been plastic.

[SkyPilot]

Here we go again with the AP and other news organizations using PC Language:

- Chechen militants

- Chechen seperatists

- Rebels

- Students

How about we call them what they are:

Islamic Terrorists

[SkyPilot]

President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed of the blasts and the state prosecutor's office launched an investigation into "terrorism,"

Why in the name of humanity does the media put the word "terrorism" in quotes like that????????

[McGavin999]

Pray for the Russian people, this is getting really ugly. This terrorism has to be stamped out once and for all. It looks like the Palestinian tactics have spread, as well as the terrorist tactics of having women do the fighting because the men are cowards.

[maestro]

FYI......ping!

[MarMema]

No, they were wives of dead husbands who had been killed in Russian-chechen conflicts or simply wives of chechen terrorists who had been killed in action.

[MarMema]

A good idea! Thanks.

[singsong]

This could actually be the shortest war. If we had the guts and were not dumbed down to the ground by "our" media.

[Blue Jays]

Good Morning All-

Posted by SkyPilot: "...just call them Islamic Terrorists..."

**********

I can just picture some junior editor wringing his hands trying to create another "friendly, peace-loving" name for these bloodthirsty Islamic criminals. SkyPilot, your observation and excellent post makes complete sense to FReepers...

~ Blue Jays ~

[Stallone]

It is inevitable that Islamic Jihad will be outlawed worldwide, and if need be, the entire religion itself.

What other possible solutions are there for the discontinuation of violence?

Poor Muslims seem to have a lot of problems getting along with their neighbors around the globe.

When you have a problem with everyone, you're the problem.

[rageaholic]

Yes, and let us recognize Islam for what it is: an enemy ideology incompatable with the Constitution of the United States.

[Monty22]

Or the civilized world...

[tet68]

This is what WE have to look forward to.
It IS coming.