Gość: Tomasz
IP: *.ibch.poznan.pl
28.10.02, 18:59
Who was pulling the strings of
Chechen terrorist leader?
Nick Paton Walsh
Sunday October 27, 2002
The Observer
Mosvar Barayev, the leader of the 50 Chechen gunmen who was
pictured shot dead on the floor of the Moscow theatre, takes the
answers to the most pressing questions about the siege with
him to the grave.
A 24-year-old warlord who reportedly took over command of his
late uncle Arbi's Islamic regiment, he was part of a new
generation of Chechen fighters prepared to take any life,
including their own, to achieve their goals.
Russian security forces have called Barayev a 'pawn', and
suggested that weightier negotiations for the release of the
hostages have been held 'abroad' in recent days.
It has been suggested that he acted purely as a front man for a
former Information Minister for the Chechen republic, Movladi
Udugov, who is considered an opportunist who harnessed
himself to the Islamist cause and has been financed from Saudi
Arabia.
Barayev inherited the brutal reputation of his uncle Arbi, who
was involved in the kidnapping and subsequent beheading of
three British telcommunications workers and a New Zealander in
1998.
He told the media during last week's drama that he was acting
under orders from the comparatively moderate Chechen leader
Aslan Maskhadov. Yet Maskhadov staunchly denied the claims.
As Maskhadov and Barayev are considered sworn enemies,
such an alliance is unlikely.
Russian security forces will also be eager to learn how the
gunmen managed to smuggle such firepower into the
anti-terrorist security area of central Moscow.
It is not yet clear whether the dramatic hostage taking will spark
a furious Russian retaliation in Chechnya. Putin has tried to
sweep the embarrassing brutalities of the ongoing anti-terrorist
operations there under the carpet. Yet such a brazen attack on
Moscow will heat the blood of the hardliners. The Kremlin may
face insurmountable pressure to escalate 'operations' in the
ravaged province.
Putin has already claimed connections between the theatre
gunmen and the 'international terrorists' behind Bali and 9/11.
The substantial financing needed for such an operation came
from abroad, Moscow insists. Barayev's team were equipped
with satellite phones, enabling them to call the Reuters news
agency in Ankara, Turkey, late on Friday night.
A journalist with the Interfax news agency who was in the
auditorium said they repeatedly mentioned, and probably rang,
Shamil Basayev, one of the more radical Chechen warlords.
