Moscow train explosion kills 30
MOSCOW Feb. 6 Associate Press—
An explosion reportedly caused by a suicide bomber ripped through a subway car in Moscow during rush hour Friday morning, killing at least 30 people in what authorities were investigating as an act of terrorism.
A severe fire broke out in the underground train, sending clouds of smoke through the tunnel, and passengers were being evacuated from Avtozavodskaya station, about 300 yards from the site of the explosion, ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said.
About 30 people were killed after an explosion in the second wagon of the train as it traveled northwest on one of Moscow's deepest metro lines to the Paveletskaya station.
Authorities are investigating the explosion as an act of terrorism, said Kirill Mazurin, spokesman for the Moscow police. He said the death toll could be as high as 30. The Interfax news agency, citing police sources, reported that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.
The Emergency Situations Ministry said more than 30 people were wounded, although Russian news reports put the number of injured as high as 150.
Ambulances crowded the street outside the metro station entrance and paramedics, carrying stretchers or equipment in backpacks, rushed down the steps.
Bystanders stood in snow watching emergency workers treat the wounded outside the station. In one ambulance, medics bandaged the hand of a woman whose face was smeared with blood. In another, a boy appeared uninjured but his face was blackened with soot.
Police immediately barricaded the two metro stations and stopped all traffic between the stations. Dozens of buses were rerouted to deal with the evacuated passengers, clogging up the already busy streets of the Russian capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed.
More than 700 people had been evacuated, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported, quoting metro staff. Most Russians are dependent on public transportation, and the spacious train wagons are usually packed tight during rush hour traffic.
The Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies said the train wagon was badly damaged.
The Russian capital has been on alert for terrorist attacks following a series of suicide bombings that officials have blamed on Chechen rebels.
In December, a female suicide bomber blew herself up outside the National Hotel across from Moscow's Red Square, killing at least five others. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a Moscow rock concert in July, killing themselves and 14 other people. That was followed five days later by an aborted suicide bomb attack at a central Moscow restaurant that killed the sapper trying to defuse the bomb. The suspected attacker was arrested and is awaiting trial.
In August 2000, a bomb exploded at a crowded pedestrian underpass filled with kiosks at Pushkin Square, a popular meeting place located near a metro line. The attack was initially blamed on Chechen rebels, but some police later said that a turf battle between rival businessmen or criminal gangs could have been the motive.
CHECHEN REPUBLIC OF ICHKERIA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Press release:
Chechen foreign ministry condemns reported terrorist attack in Moscow and calls for peace talks.
The Chechen foreign ministry unequivocally condemns the reported terrorist attack in Moscow metro this morning and calls for peace talks. Killing civilians is as much wrong in Moscow as it is wrong in Chechnya and elsewhere. The world therefore must condemn an illegal violence against civilians both in Chechnya and Russia.
At the same time, we must recognize that condemnation alone has not and will not prevent further violence, bring accountability and guarantee justice. We know that illegal violence against civilians in Chechnya, Russia, the United States or elsewhere is clearly both morally and legally a crime, but we also must know that a failure to recognize and cure the causes of those crimes is a political crime with a far higher price.
The world must stand united against terrorism in all its forms. It must fight against the state of terror and impunity in a Russian-occupied Chechnya as much as it fights against the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks in the United States and elsewhere.
Chechens, Russians, and the international community must make a joint effort towards peace and democracy for Chechnya and Russia. We must not delay any longer a political solution to the Russian-Chechen conflict.
The Chechen government has offered Russia and the international community a just and responsible way to end the genocidal war in Chechnya and resolve the Russian-Chechen conflict through an interim Unites Nations administration. We urge Russian government to start genuine and transparent peace talks.
Press Office www.chechnya-mfa.info
Chechenpress
Statement of the President and the government of the ChRI
Again an act of terror has happened in Moscow, again dozens of people have died. There is no and there will not be any justification for terror against innocent civilians.
We are sure that the special services of the RF soon will reveal a "Chechen trace" in the explosion in the Moscow metro. And we are also sure that sooner or later, like in previous terrorist acts, the direct or indirect participation of the Russian special services in this monstrous crime will be discovered.
We already have a sad experience with the fact that any form of political activity in Russia is combined with terrorism. It was so in the autumn of 1999, when the explosions of houses in Russian cities brought the gray, unprepossessing and at that time little known personality, FSB Colonel Putin, to power in the Kremlin. There is no doubt that this explosion, too, is timed to the forthcoming presidential elections in the RF in March, so that Putin's victory, declared in advance, will be based on the support of the frightened population, which will again try to find the authority of the "strong hand".
The President and the government of the ChRI officially declare that they don't have the slightest relation to this bloody provocation and that they unambiguously condemn it.
On behalf and on the commission of the President and the government of the ChRI, Ahmed Zakayev, Vice-premier of the Chechen government and Special Representative of the President of the ChRI.
Chechenpress, 06.02.04
http://chechenpress.info/news/2004/02/06/11.shtml [Unauthorized translation by N.S.]
Ingushetia to demolish refugee tent camp
MOSCOW, February 5, 2004. (RIA Novosti) - Bart, a tent camp for Chechen refugees in Ingushetia, which neighbours Chechnya, will be demolished soon, Major-General of Police Igor Yunash, the first deputy head of the Russian Interior Ministry's Federation Migration Service, said at a news briefing on Thursday.
"I will sign an order, one of these days, to close down one of the tent camps, namely Bart. It is home to as few as 680 people. It is not economically viable to maintain camps with less than 1,000 tenants," said General Yunash.
He said most of the camp tenants would go to Chechnya, the others would stay in Ingushetia and would be provided with more appropriate housing.
The general emphasised that those who would return to Chechnya would also be given proper housing.
General Yunash did not rule out that there would be no tent camps at all on Ingush soil in March. "If the current resettlement pace is retained, you will be able to report the dismantling of the last tent," the general told reporters.
Re-settlers come back to Chechnya voluntarily after filing a relative application, emphasised General Yunash.
48,426 forced migrants from Chechnya are living in Ingushetia as of today, according to the Interior Ministry. 3,762 of them are living in tent camps, 20,540 in Chechen communities and 24,124 are renting rooms in private-owned houses.
Chechenpress
Ingushetia is blocked from all sides
While the President of Ingushetia Murat Zyazikov spoke about flower beds planted on the territory of Chermen post, Internal Ministry of Northern Ossetya seized a post in the area of village Keskem at the Kurpsky crossroad, on the administrative border of Malgobek district, Ingushetia, with Tersky district of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, informs the "Ingushetia.Ru" Internet-edition.
Formally it is a territory of Mozdok district, Northern Ossetia, but the road passing this post and leading to Nalchik is used by the inhabitants of the Republic of Ingushetia only, close to the road are located the Ingush village Keskem (Khurikau) and the city of Malgobek. Until recently the post has been controlled by the employees of the Ingush Internal Ministry and Mozdok Regional Department of Internal Affairs under the North Ossetyan Internal Ministry, who did not put any serious obstacles in the passers way, the more so as the latter had to get through the well-known checkpoint "Kurp-2" of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, which has been turned into a real boundary checkpoint with long queues and not quite enough carrying capacity.
So, the Ossetyan militiamen have turned the post in the area of the village Keskem into the checkpoint similar to the one arranged at the entrance to the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Now here the employees of passport and visa service, security service, Department of Criminal Investigation, and other services of the North Ossetyan Internal Ministry are on round the clock duty, registering and examining the vehicles, taking bribes from the drivers and putting any kinds of obstacles and inconveniences to the residents of the republic. The employees of the Ingush GIBDD (traffic police) are deprived of the control over the post. The barrels of armored troop carriers and machine guns are directed at the drivers through the concrete blocks and barbed wire. This new checkpoint has left behind the Chermen post. Thus, in order to drive into and out of the republic people have to pass through the Ossetyan and Kabardinian checkpoints. The republic is again in blockade.
As it is pointed out by the edition, Murat Zyazikov not only failed to fulfill one of his pre-election promises - to abolish the Chermen post, but also allowed the establishment of the control of North Ossetyan Internal Ministry over the only free road Malgobek-Nalchik.
The edition notes that this disgrace would hardly have been possible under the authoritative head of the republic, obviously hinting on the period when Ingushetia was ruled by Ruslan Aushev.
From materials of the ChRI governmental newspaper "Ichkeria", January, N2 (107), 3 February 2004
2004-02-05 14:10
Crime rate on rise in Chechnya
KHANKALA, February 5 (RIA Novosti) - The commanders of the Russian joint group of forces in the North Caucasus do not rule it out that Chechen militants might get concentrated in villages under the disguise of local residents. Commander of the federal group, General Valery Baranov said that amnestied militants could also infiltrate in the republic's authorities. The general warned about this at a routine conference held at a Russian base in Khankala near Grozny.
According to Baranov, violent crimes such as banditry, kidnapping, and physical elimination threats, are continuing to increase in Chechnya. This has a strong negative impact on all spheres of life in the republic and bars socio-economic and political changes in Chechnya, the general said.
According to him, militants are actively scheming to disrupt presidential elections in Russia due in March. "Armed actions are being planned, which will have a political resonance, as gang leaders assume," said Baranov.
According to him, subversive terrorist acts, especially with the use of radio-controlled explosive devices, are remaining the main threat facing Chechen people.
He also stated that in January militants stepped up their activities against the Russian federal forces.
As for the latter, recent special operations left 8 militants dead and 146 suspected bandits detained. Besides, over 160 units of weapons and military hardware and also about 63,000 units of various ammunition were confiscated, said the commander of the Russian forces in Chechnya.
eng.kavkaz.memo.ru 5/2/2004
Russian human rights defenders second initiative of European Parliament members who suggest accepting plan of peaceful settlement in Chechnya
Russian human rights defenders seconded the initiative of a group of European Parliament members who suggest accepting the plan of peaceful settlement in Chechnya worked out by Aslan Maskhadov's government.
In opinion of Oleg Orlov, head of the Memorial human rights center, the European parliamentarians' initiative is a vivid demonstration of their distrust of Moscow's policy in Chechnya.
Maskhadov's plan supposes the establishment of the United Nations interim administration in Chechnya and withdrawal of Russian troops with simultaneous disarmament of Mojaheds' units.
Source: Radio
Free Europe / Radio Liberty
60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEPORTATION OF THE CHECHEN PEOPLE:DEMONSTRATIONS ON 23 FEBRUARY IN BRUSSELS, MOSCOW, PRAGUE, ROME, VILNIUS, …
Brussels, 5 February 2004. Called by the communities of Chechen refugeesin Europe, the Chechnya Committees, the Transnational Radical Party andother organisations, demonstrations to commemorate the 60th anniversaryof the deportation of the Chechen people on 23 February 1944 will takeplace on Monday 23 February 2004 in a number of European capitals:
- Brussels, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the European Council(Rond Point Schuman),- Rome, in front of the official residence of the Italian Prime Minister(Piazza Colonna);- Moscow, Prague and Vilnius (details yet to be confirmed).
As well as the commemoration of the deportation ordered by Stalin of theentire Chechen people to Central Asia on 23 February 1944, thedemonstrations also aim to denounce the genocide of the Chechen peopleover the last ten years and to support the Peace Plan presented by theChechen government for the establishment of an interim United Nationsadministration in Chechnya.
OLIVIER DUPUIS REACHES THE 18TH DAY OF HIS HUNGER STRIKE
Olivier Dupuis, a Member of the European Parliament and of theTransnational Radical Party, has now reached the 18th day of his hungerstrike. Tomorrow, Friday 6 February, together with Walter Coraluzzo,Professor of Political Science at the University of Turin, and CarmeloPalma, Radical member of the Regional Council of Piedmont, he will takepart in the presentation in Turin of the book Cecenia nella morsadell'impero, published by Guerini e Associati, the Italian version ofthe book Tchétchénie: dix clés pour comprendre.
You can support the Peace Plan for the establishment of an interim UNadministration by signing the international appeal at www.radicalparty.org
=====Olivier DupuisMember of the European Parliamenthttp://www.radicalparty.org/tel. +32 2 284 7198fax +32 2 284 9198