July 07, 2003 Posted: 14:46 Moscow time (10:46 GMT)
Representatives of the Chechen community in Moscow, including outstanding Chechen
businessmen, public and religious figures, condemned the terrorist attack
at the rock music festival in Tushino (Moscow).
As their official statement stresses, "the terrorist act in Tushino is new confirmation
of the fact that international terrorist forces are aiming at weakening
the Russian state", Rossiya (Russia) television reported. "This is another attempt
to destabilize the situation in the country, to seed fear and uncertainty in people's
souls, and to trigger a new wave of anti-Chechen and anti-Caucasian sentiment,"
the document points out.
The statement particularly emphasizes that criminals have no ethnicity, and the
Chechen people have suffered most from criminal activities of militant groups.
"We understand the grief and suffering of relatives of the tragedy's victims very
well. We urge all Muscovites and Russians to be vigilant, and not to yield to
the provocation of terrorists who are aiming at triggering an ethnical conflict
and destroying our unity," the document says.
The community's representatives addressed the federal government and Chechen authorities
urging to intensify fighting terrorists, and "to attract the population at large
to these activities more actively". Condemning terrorists decisively, the authors
of the address on behalf of the Chechen public expressed deep condolence to the
families of those killed and wounded in the attack and stated their readiness
to render aid to the families of the terrorist act victims.
Meanwhile, the Chechen Interior Ministry is conducting an internal investigation
in the terrorist attack in Tushino. All the information, which will be collected
by the Chechen Interior Ministry in the course of this investigation, will be
passed to federal authorities, special representative of the Chechen Republic
under the Russian President Adlan Magomadov stated on the Echo of Moscow radio.
He explained that the decision to conduct an internal investigation had been made
for settling all issues, which usually emerged after such tragedies. It is premature
to talk about the results of this investigation so far. According to Magomadov,
more detailed information will be released in a couple of days.
Additionally, the Russian Interior Ministry takes additional measures for preventing
terrorist acts. Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov made a corresponding order.
As the press service of the ministry reported, these measures are first of all
to be aimed at finding accomplices to preparing and committing terrorist attacks.
In connection with this it is planned to carry out activities for preventing terrorist
attacks, i.e. to maximally enhance police patrol groups in places of mass gatherings,
healthcare institutions, theaters, markets and trading centers. Personal search
of people will
be enhanced, including using special devices and dogs.
According to Rossiya (Russia) television, it is also planned to intensify prevention
activities at railroad and air transportation facilities. Suspicious automobiles
will be checked at highways. If necessary, drivers' identities will be checked
via databases of the Russian Interior Ministry.
Within this operation, it is planned to check living quarters in Moscow and other
regions to finding residences of those who are involved in preparing and committing
terrorist acts, and persons who provide them with housing and rendering other
services. In connection with this, the Russian Interior Ministry addressed the
population asking for patience and tolerance about the enhancement of measures
for preventing possible terrorist attacks, as these activities are triggered by
the current situation.
Additionally, due to the events in Tushino Gryzlov urged people to report to interior
authorities about suspicious persons, their "unmotivated activities", criminal
intentions, and about suspicious unattended objects or vehicles.