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Russians probe al-Qa'eda link as a number of Arab fighters were among hostage tackers
telegraph.co.uk ^ | 27/10/2002 | Christina Lamb and Ben Aris

Posted on 10/27/2002 2:10:43 AM PST by Destro

Russians probe al-Qa'eda link as a number of Arab fighters were among hostage tackers

By Christina Lamb and Ben Aris in Moscow

(Filed: 27/10/2002)

Russian security forces were last night investigating links between Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda organisation and Chechen rebels after special forces dramatically ended the Moscow theatre siege, leaving scores of hostages dead.

Most of the 50 Chechen terrorists - including 18 women - were killed when the Russian forces moved in a dawn raid after filling the theatre with sleeping gas through the ventilation system.

Russian emergency services bring hostages out of the theatre after the special forces assault

The rescue mission was launched after the rebels started carrying out their threat to execute some of the 800 theatregoers held hostage for three nights.

Health officials said that at least 90 hostages were killed during the assault. Many are believed to have died as a result of the gassing after choking on vomit. Three terrorists were said to have survived and were taken for interrogation.

None of the 30 children was killed, nor any of the 75 foreigners, including a British mother and son.

As the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, toured a hospital where survivors were being treated, his security chiefs were investigating the extent of links between al-Qa'eda and the Chechens.

The Telegraph has learned that a number of Arab fighters, believed to be of Saudi Arabian and Yemeni origin, were among the group that seized control of the theatre.

Russian Spetsnaz storm the theatre after shots were heard

"There were definitely Arab terrorists in the building with links to al-Qa'eda," said a senior Western diplomat. "The Russians will now want to know how much help the Chechens received from bin Laden's organisation."

Mr Putin had claimed that "foreign elements" were involved and suspicions about al-Qa'eda's connection deepened after the Chechens broadcast a pre-recorded message on the Qatar-based al-Jazeera television network, which is frequently used by bin Laden and his lieutenants.

The leader of the rebels was killed during the assault

Russian officials said that the hostage-takers had made several calls to the United Arab Emirates during the siege.

Last night thousands of angry relatives waited at hospital gates, denied access to sons and daughters, husbands and wives suffering the effects of the mystery fumes.

In an address to the nation Mr Putin apologised for failing to save all the hostages. "Please forgive us," he said. "We shall win this fight against international terrorism."

The decision to storm the building came at 5.30am. "When the rebels began shooting hostages the special plan was switched on," said Vladimir Vasilyev, the deputy interior minister.

"The danger was very high and we were afraid there might be a major explosion. We used special means to neutralise the terrorists."


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Russia
KEYWORDS: chechnya
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1 posted on 10/27/2002 2:10:43 AM PST by Destro
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To: Destro
that should read hostage takers
2 posted on 10/27/2002 2:14:02 AM PST by Destro
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To: Destro
 

 

The only good Jehadi is a dead Jehadi

 


The body of a man thought to be a Chechen gunman lies at the entrance of a theater after it was stormed by special forces in Moscow, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002. Russian special forces stormed the building before sunrise Saturday to end the crisis. More than 90 hostages dead, but some 750 others freed and dozens of the assailants killed. (AP Photo/Gazeta)
Sat Oct 26, 1:23 PM ET

The body of a man thought to be a Chechen gunman lies at the entrance of a theater after it was stormed by special forces in Moscow, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002. Russian special forces stormed the building before sunrise Saturday to end the crisis. More than 90 hostages dead, but some 750 others freed and dozens of the assailants killed. (AP Photo/Gazeta)


A TV grab shows dead female hostage-takers inside a Moscow theater after Russian special forces stormed the building, October 26, 2002. Russian forces killed most of the Chechen guerrillas who had started to execute captive theatergoers, but some of the 700 hostages also died, officials said.  Photo by Pool/Reuters
Sat Oct 26,11:11 AM ET

A TV grab shows dead female hostage-takers inside a Moscow theater after Russian special forces stormed the building, October 26, 2002. Russian forces killed most of the Chechen guerrillas who had started to execute captive theatergoers, but some of the 700 hostages also died, officials said. Photo by Pool/Reuters

 

 

 

3 posted on 10/27/2002 2:16:58 AM PST by dennisw
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To: Destro
Great post. Thanks. More pictures, dammit. MORE! You can't get enough pictures of dead sh*tbags.
4 posted on 10/27/2002 2:21:38 AM PST by Schmedlap
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To: Schmedlap
I screwed up the spelling of the title but thanks.
5 posted on 10/27/2002 2:50:22 AM PST by Destro
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To: Destro
Now we're talking big fish with Saudi connections again. While Putin may have dealt with this situation, why is he hanging back on Saddam?
6 posted on 10/27/2002 3:40:11 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: anniegetyourgun
why is he hanging back on Saddam?

"Please forgive us," he said. "We shall win this fight against international terrorism."

One step at a time. After this event, it will be easier to get Mr. & Mrs. Boris six-pack on board.

IMO

7 posted on 10/27/2002 4:36:40 AM PST by Freebird Forever
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To: Destro
but, but, I thought that this was done by the Chechnyan rebels, aka students, or freedom fighters?!
8 posted on 10/27/2002 5:13:17 AM PST by ItisaReligionofPeace
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To: Freebird Forever
remember the UN in concert with the clinton administration? the condemnation of the russian treatment of the poor, gentle chechens reached a crescendo about the same time we were liberating the sweet kosovars. we've been liberating muslims throughout the world. and their gratitude brought us 9/11.
9 posted on 10/27/2002 5:17:14 AM PST by contessa machiaveli
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To: Destro
If this were here in the USA the liberals and the presstitutes would be crying out about how misunderstood these terrorists were, and would have totally ignored the Arab Muslims involvement.
10 posted on 10/27/2002 5:34:28 AM PST by twntaipan
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To: twntaipan
If this were here in the USA...

If this were here in the USA the media might have actually covered the story.

11 posted on 10/27/2002 6:39:12 AM PST by Hugin
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To: Hugin
But only if they could make the terrorists out to be RWGs with guns and NRA membership cards.
12 posted on 10/27/2002 6:42:17 AM PST by twntaipan
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To: anniegetyourgun
While Putin may have dealt with this situation, why is he hanging back on Saddam?

One needs to follow the money.

Russia has huge reserves of oil and natural gas, much of it just in the development stages and a lot of the developed sources in old, uneconomic fields. For Russian financial development and national prosperity, he needs the price of oil to remain at elevated levels to assure a healthy cash flow and the strong development. The demise of Saddam and the unleashing of the huge reserves of Iraqi oil into the marketplace would plummet oil prices, which in turn would further hurt the Russian economy - which is fragile even as it is.

IMHO, Putin is jockeying for some sort of American guarantees the bottom won't fall out of the price of oil next year in exchange for his support in overthrowing Saddam and allowing that extra Iraqi oil into the market. When he gets it, he will gladly come along. He is ideologically in our camp and in a murderous war with Al Queda as it is, but must look out for Russia's commercial interests at the same time.

13 posted on 10/27/2002 7:18:34 AM PST by Gritty
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To: twntaipan; joanie-f; snopercod; backhoe
The president of the company which manufactures the "sleeping gas" would be discovered by Tom Brokaw, to have helped the Bush Campaign.
14 posted on 10/27/2002 7:26:14 AM PST by First_Salute
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To: anniegetyourgun
...follow the money...

I forgot to mention Iraq owes Russia billions of dollars for weaponry which it possesses. Putin also will want assurances this debt will be guaranteed under a new Iraqi government.

15 posted on 10/27/2002 7:33:17 AM PST by Gritty
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I'm looking for the photo(s) of the dead terrorist holding the bottle of cognac. Links ok. Anybody? Thanks in advance.
16 posted on 10/27/2002 7:37:48 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: Destro
that should read hostage takers

That's okay, they were pretty tacky hostage takers! :)

NOW will the media start to refer to them as terrorists instead of "rebels"?

17 posted on 10/27/2002 9:13:59 AM PST by wonders
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To: Gritty
I see we're reading the same things as to his motives. I'm just wondering if most of that pressure isn't coming from his underlings who would have him knocked off or ousted if he doesn't tow the line. It is still, after all, Russia.....
18 posted on 10/27/2002 9:30:47 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: contessa machiaveli; section9; blam; Dog Gone
It's also worth noting that Al Qaeda probably needs a replacement country for Afghanistan; some country that has no international engagements, is nearly lawless, and can be used for their purposes to train other terrorists without any interference.

Hmmm... I bet Chechnya would look like a pretty good fit for that.

It's also in the financial interests of the Middle-East oil producers to keep Russian oil-production tied up in wars and terrorism; less competition that way.

But sending actual Arabs into the Moscow theatre was a pretty bad strategic decision. The Russians are going to hype this Al Qaeda connection to Chechnya for all that it is worth, which will ally them firmly in Bush's anti-terrorism camp.

Shoot, Al Qaeda might just as well repeat this absurdity in Europe and China, thus uniting the ENTIRE militarized WORLD against their cause, as pull this stunt in Russia. From a geo-political and propaganda standpoint, using actual Arab terrorists inside Moscow-proper is a clear failure, and certainly something that will make the hapless French have a more difficult time "forgiving" the attack on their oil tanker in Yemen this year.

If historians have a sense of humour, they might look back one day on the radical-Islam vs civilized world war of 2001-2009 as the Darwin wars...

19 posted on 10/27/2002 9:51:54 AM PST by Southack
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To: anniegetyourgun
Why is Bush hanging back on the saudis?
20 posted on 10/27/2002 12:50:52 PM PST by swarthyguy
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