Chechen Interior Minister Alu Alkhanov has blamed Chechen rebel leaders Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov for masterminding the recent guerilla attacks on several towns in Ingushetia.
| Comes as a surprise, doesn't it? |
"Our operational data suggest that Basayev and Maskhadov were involved in organizing these attacks," Alkhanov said at a news conference at the Interfax central office on Saturday. "As far as so-called field commanders are concerned, Doku Umarov was directly involved in the attacks and Magomed Yevloyev commanded the attackers," he said, calling the attacks "a guerilla sortie."
| Yoda suspected Count Doku might be behind it... |
"As for its goals, I think it is not a secret that this was an attempt to destabilize Ingushetia," Alkhanov said. He did not rule out similar attacks occurring in Chechnya. "[Chechnya’s] law enforcement agencies are doing everything in their power to prevent them. Everything possible is being done to find and detain the attackers in Ingushetia who have returned to Chechnya," he said. Alkhanov said that Maskhadov will eventually be detained. "If a problem exists, it needs to be tackled. So the problem with Maskhadov will be resolved," he said. The minister expressed confidence that former rebels who have surrendered and are now working in the republic’s law enforcement agencies will never rejoin their old rebel groups. Alkhanov cautioned against any steps aimed at changing the strategy of the counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya, saying that "nothing new needs to be invented - America has been discovered and the bicycle has been invented. I see no need for changing the strategy of federal agencies’ work. The task has been set and everybody is working."
| I'd suggest revamping your intel support. We can smell it from here. |
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