Monday, November 3, 2003; Page A18 The Washington Times

"Forgotten Refugees are Living 'Like Bugs' " [news story, Oct. 19] described Chechens displaced by war as "refugees the world has largely forgotten." While their situation may be overshadowed by other crises, the U.S. government has not forgotten them.

Since 1999, the United States has provided more than $98 million through U.N. agencies, international organizations and nongovernmental organizations for humanitarian relief in Chechnya and the surrounding area.

In 2003 alone, the government contributed $15.5 million to address a wide variety of needs, including protection, food, emergency shelter, water and sanitation, health care, education and trauma mitigation.

We continue to urge a political settlement of the tragic conflict in Chechnya and call on the Russian government to respect the human rights of Chechnya's displaced persons and facilitate relief. The U.S. government is committed to assisting the displaced Chechens until they are able to return voluntarily to Chechnya.

ARTHUR E. DEWEY

Assistant Secretary

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

Department of State

Washington

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

[This is an unauthorized translation posted to a press distribution list. N.S.]

FROM THE LIFE OF DOUBLE AGENTS

Novaya Gazeta, October 27, 2003by Vyacheslav Izmailov

The Dutch Arjan Erkel was abducted by the same people who were used to liquidate the Jordanian Khattab

It's near 10 years that the Chechen war is going on, smoothly turning from the first one to the second. And all these years war operations were followed by criminal business linked to abductions of people. Chechen fighters, their companions from Daghestan, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria earn their living by this. Very often our law enforcement officers and intelligence services know the names of the bandits and their whereabouts; some officers even manage to have their own profit from the people trade (Novaya Gazeta has published materials about that repeatedly). There's also well known the world special services' common practice to draw criminal structures to fulfilment of some especially delicate tasks. Our special services are not the exclusion. Novaya Gazeta has also repeatedly reported that FSB (Federal Security Service) and GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate) took part in many mysterious events, for example, in the abduction of a well-known journalist Andrei Babitsky. We also had similar suspicions with regard to another mysterious event – the abduction of Arjan Erkel, a Dutch doctor, at present the most famous among the hostages. We have conducted our own journalist investigation and here you are the interim results of it.

Just to remind, Arjan Erkel, a citizen of Holland, who had been working for a Swiss mission of Medecins sans Frontieres, was abducted late by night on 12 October last year on the outskirts of Makhachkala. A criminal case was instituted on the fact of the abduction, which is still being conducted by the prosecutor's office of the republic of Daghestan and the operational support was charged to the local office of struggle with organized crime. The chief of the office is colonel Akhmed Kuliyev and colonel Imamutdin Temirbulatov is directly in charge of the Erkel's search. Every day at 8 p.m. at the operational meeting by the Interior Minister of Daghestan Adilgirey Magomedtagirov the report regarding this investigation is heard in the first place. Besides, a special operational group of FSB of Russia, sent to Daghestan by the order of the FSB director Nikolay Patrushev, is investigating the case of Erkel. Main directorate on struggle with organized crime of the Ministry of Interior is charged to help the investigation all ways. The case is under personal control of Minister of Interior Boris Gryzlov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov and President Vladimir Putin.

This is, so to speak, the official part. But the most important is hidden from the eyes of observers.

Following Erkel

From the moment of the abduction I started my journalist investigation. I had to meet repeatedly a lot of people, who are to this or that extend involved professionally in the Erkel's case – with those who is conducting the investigation in the law enforcement structures and with mediators working in Daghestan and Chechnya, who is making a sort of business on it. They always have their share in it. It's clear that the more expensive the hostage – the higher the mediator's share.

That's why very often they raise too high the initial sum of ransom, which the abductors ask for the unfortunate.

In particular, mediation functions of the late Balaudi Tekilov in the case of liberation of soldiers and officers were estimated by Boris Berezovsky at dozens thousands of US dollars, and those of Salavi Abdrazakov, whose speciality was mediation in cases of abductions of journalists and citizens of foreign countries, – at hundreds thousands of US dollars. The abductors themselves received millions.

As we managed to learn, the mediator in the Erkel's case is a native of Pankisi gorge of Georgia (the name we won't call in the interests of the investigation and in order not to harm the hostage). The information about the abductors' demands gets through him in some complicated routes directly to Holland – to the Erkel's motherland – and to Switzerland, where the office of the human rights organization, which he is representing, is situated.

Five millions of dollars – that is the demand of the abductors for his release.

Under double control

- Whom did Erkel disturb, why was his activity in Daghestan controlled so closely by the local FSB office? – I asked one of the intelligence service officers. The officer, who knows me many years, tells me:- You know, his behaviour was not entirely adequate to the humanitarian mission for the sake of which he was staying on the territory of Daghestan: he met representatives of local political opposition, he showed his interest in disposition of military units, he discussed some topics with American military diplomats, who were visiting North Caucasus.- So what? May be he wanted to help with medicines – he is a "doctor without borders", he doesn't pick out his patients…- And nobody charged him with these meetings. FSB just worked according to its regulations: we made our observations and analysis.- Late evening on 12 August last year, at the moment of the abduction, did FSB workers also shadow Erkel?- Yes, they did.- Why didn't they stand in the abductors' way, didn't follow them, didn't ask for the help of the local police if they couldn't cope with it themselves?- This question you should address to chief of FSB of Daghestan, general Vladimir Muratov.- I shall – on the pages of Novaya Gazeta. And not this only question. I don't doubt, that the FSB observers have detected that they were not the only persons who were watching Erkel. And the FSB professionals couldn't but guess that "the number two shadow" was a criminal one. Moreover, FSB people have warned Erkel of his possible abduction.- You are right. After being warned, and to all appearances, being warned several times, Erkel paid a visit to the Daghestan FSB Directorate in Makhachkala and to the Regional directorate on struggle with organized crime. There he was proposed guard, which he rejected.Essentially, Erkel neglected his personal security for some unknown objectives. The conclusion that suggests itself: beside humanitarian goals the missionary had some other tasks.- Is it a hint on espionage? Your office cannot get rid of espionage-mania? In the first place, it is not proved in the Erkel's case, and in the second place – can you imagine a "doctor without border" with FSB guard?- That's right, it was not proved. But some questions remain. It seems that Erkel had something to hide, if he neglected his own security after numerous warnings.As a matter of fact, all these questions are secondary. If only Erkel is alive. Just one remark: FSB officers were aware of everything from the very beginning.

Feat of intelligence officer

Several years ago Federal Security Service managed to put its officer in the Dagestani wahhabits group, linked with Khattab and Basayev. With the time being, the FSB officer maintained good contacts with militants' leaders from Shamil, Untsukul, and Tsumadin regions of Dagestan. Via mediator, named Ibragim, he was able to deliver the letter to Khattab.

After one of the main terrorists was eliminated, his "colleagues" launched an investigation on his sudden death. In some way, they got "help" from FSB spokesman general Zdanovitch, who reported about successful operation on TV.

Double-agent was secretly rewarded by President and transferred to another job outside Russia.

However, militants found Ibragim in Azerbaijan and murdered him. Among those, who killed him, was Ibragim's cousine (let's call him Imam), who also was reportedly tied with FSB.

Imam was very influential among terrorists: he and his people organized contract killings, abductions, terrorist attacks. Having enough clout, Imam managed to escape prosecution. However, wahhabits' leadership obliged him to do the following: to avenge Khatab by organizing a major terrorist attack and to get money as after Kahtab's death funding from international terrorist organizations was suspended.

Response

Imam had organized a set of terrorist acts. The most large-scale and cruel terrorist act was blast in Kaspiisk, which resulted in 43 people (including kids) being killed. Not only that. After getting false information from Imam, FSB detained military officers on charges of organizing the blast. For a year, 8 officers were subjects to tortures and humiliations, imprisoned in Dagestan. After one year in prison they were released on the court's rule.

Imam's gang kept on being active. It organized the assassination of Ahverdilav Akilov, head of counter-terrorist department, and six of his people. According to our information, some of the major recent contract killings were also organized by Imam's people.

On the top of it, they kidnapped Arjan Erkel to get money for the gang. Imam managed to expose FSB once again. FSB people had been watching Arjan so they were the first suspected of Arjan's abduction.

Many people believed FSB had something to do with Erkel's abduction. Earlier FSB staged "exchange" and "release" of Andrey Babitsky, radio Freedom correspondent, who had been kept in Avtury village, in the FSB officer's house. Then there was Kenneth Gluck's case, where security forces also played role.

Where Erkel is kept

Based on information from different sources in Chechnya and Dagestan (including those "mediators" who contacted MSF on my behalf), Arjan Erkel was recently moved from Dagestan to Chechnya where he had been kept in Nozhay-Yurt district. Some time ago he was returned to Dagestan.

Also different sources state Erkel was abducted and still kept by the person , which we call Imam, and his gang. Imam's real name is well known to the security forces. His people's names are well known as well. His activities are well known, however, he is unassailable yet. To get him now means to lose Arjan.

Before publishing this article, I was thinking if it was the right time to do it. We do not use Imam's real name, however, sure, he'll recognized himself.Imam's crimes have been well known for a long time. Why does he keep on killing, kidnapping, stealing, terrorizing the whole republic ?

Those, who are responsible for catching him, are intimidated by him as well. His killers were able to get and murder his enemies, including high-ranked security officials. Not to mention, Imam is perfectly aware of all secrets of security services and top officials.

I believe, Imam is in the deadlock himself. He realizes this can not last for too long. So the only way for him is to release Arjan unconditionally.