New evidence of Chechen separatists' connection with international terrorist organizations

The documents found in the headquarters of Aslan Maskhadov, the so-called president of the Independent Ichkeria and commander-in-chief of the Chechen separatists' army, prove his connection with international terrorist organizations.

Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov said at a press conference that among the documents there was a so-called "account book".

In the receipts column there are transfers from numerous organizations based in Turkey, Jordan and Pakistan. Together they transferred almost $5 million.

$50 thousand for the illegal armed forces were given by Chechnya's ex president Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, who is now internationally wanted, the minister pointed out.

Maskhadov urged his subordinates to organize terrorist attacks, Ivanov said. In particular, he ordered them to carry out an operation called "Kafir-1" (which literally means "non-Muslim") for extermination of "Chechens that assist Russians". The operation was to result in the murder of the Chechen administration head Akhmad Kadyrov, and in "the capture and extermination of Christians, mullahs and elders", the minister quoted the document.

Among the tasks set by Maskhadov for the heads of the rebel forces were chasing officials of the federal and local law enforcing structures.