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| Central Asia |
| Turkmen arrests for ’assassination’ plot |
| 2002-11-26 |
| Turkmen police have arrested 16 people suspected of taking part in an assassination attempt on President Saparmurat Niyazov on Monday. President Niyazov, who has ruled the energy-rich country with an autocratic grip, has accused exiled political opponents of plotting to kill him in the attack. Boris Shikhmuradov, a former foreign minister, told the Gundogar web site that any number of people could have wanted the president killed. "Niyazov deserves as many deadly gunshots as lives and destinies he has ruined," he said. Line forms on the right. Three vehicles tried to block off President Niyazov's motorcade as he travelled to the presidential palace in the centre of Ashgabat. Shots were fired, though the president was not hurt. A presidential spokesman said four of the detained suspects were being treated as mercenaries, and the incident itself considered an act of international terrorism. Sounds like they tried to kill him on the cheap and it failed. The guys they picked up will implicate anybody to keep their skins whole. President Niyazov went on TV to implicate four former officials in the attack, including Mr Shikhmuradov, his former right-hand man. Old rule, when you try to kill the king, make sure you succeed. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 Gives Niyazov carte blanche to arrest and beat the bejesus out of anyone he likes as well...except he did that before this anyway...oh well |
| Posted by: Frank G 2002-11-26 15:02:06 |