Posted on 09/09/2004 8:26:08 PM PDT by Luis Gonzalez
PING
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A top Chechen figure has said there was "no justification" for recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by Chechens but called them "unavoidable" because of Russia's policies.
Aslan Maskhadov, a rebel leader and former president of Chechnya, said in a written statement Sunday that Chechen leaders condemned the acts.
"There can be no justification for terror against absolutely innocent citizens," said Maskhadov, who has steadily become more sidelined in recent times by more radical leaders in the Chechen fight for a breakaway Muslim republic.
But he also said there were "political reasons for this tragedy" and called "upon the world to condemn the policy which has made such tragedies not only possible but unavoidable."
Maskhadov cited the massacre at a school in Beslan, Russia that left hundreds dead, the downing of two Russian airplanes that killed 89, and a suicide bombing outside a Moscow subway station that killed nine people in addition to the bomber.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to place responsibility on external forces.
"In reality, the reason for the tragedy in Beslan and the never-ending cycle of violence in Chechnya and the environs is the policy of Putin himself, whose regime is guilty of the most massive crimes against humanity in Europe since World War II," Maskhadov said.
He accused Russia of carrying out a "genocide of the Chechen people."
Fighting between Russian forces and Chechen rebels has left untold thousands dead. Chechen rebels have carried out numerous attacks against civilians.
Maskhadov insisted the perpetrators of terrorist attacks in Chechnya "are not doing this for religious fanaticism or abstract political ideas" but are motivated by personal revenge.
"But Russian brutality, international indifference, and the betrayal by the West do not at all mean that we have to fight against children and women.
"The Chechens who participated in similar actions are on the same level as Russian soldiers guilty of massive and systematic atrocities," he said.
"If we want to preserve ourselves as a people, to protect the moral rightness of our fight, we must decisively distance ourselves from those few whose consciousness has been darkened by revenge.
"That is why I am calling on all Chechens to grieve for the innocent victims and, in the name of the Chechen people, I express my condolences to their families."
Do you think they precieve the wrath of the Russian population comeing down on them ? The Russians aren't bound by the same political correctness as we are. Putin would probably tell the ACLU and CAIR to get stuffed, then call in an air strike on the mosques....
I would like to believe these sentiments are sincere and that all people are guinuinely repulsed by the senseless slaughter of innocents at Beslan.
I hope and pray they are sincere and not just saying these things to save their own hides from reprisals.
Do you think that every day ordinary people can witness children being massacred wholesale and NOT feel terrified?
I think an act such as this sort of makes everyone take a side, and most people would not side with the kind of inhuman beasts who would carry out such atrocities.
Except all Palastenians, Jordanians, Syrians, Sunis, and every other Musliim in the world (billions of them)
"billions of them"
There's not even a billion Muslims in the world.
They say 1.48B
And they breed like flies
http://www.islamicpopulation.com/
Yech -- how depressing
That's still not "billions".
The highest population estimate, is CAIR's 1.12 billion...and that's doubtable.
OK...
How about we agree on a figure:
TOO DAMN MANY!!
If true, this is very encouraging!
The other totally wrong part of your statement, is your assumption that every single Muslim approves of terrorism...Muslims are in fact victims of terrorism themselves, and are actually fighting terrorism alongside the US.
I'll stick my neck way out in here and say that most Muslims are not the monsters that Muslim terrorists would like us to believe they are.
true
Buahahahaha.
OK, not every single Muslim. Just those that follow the teachings of their "prophet" muhammed (may he burn in hell forever). If they want to ignore their founder, sure, they can probably avoid the call to Jihad. But if they acually READ the accursed Qu'ran then they're sorta stuck, since muhammed (mhbihf) said this is the greatest thing they an do (I have to search FR [as you can do also] to get the specific passages if need be).
So, a moderate Muslim is like a Mormon who doesn;t follow Smith.
Imperial Japan calls on US armed forces to stop attacking the home islands and to punish only the guilty Kamikaze pilots.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.