Chechnya Interior Ministry Reproached for Sympathizing Terrorists

Many of Chechnya police officials are said to be belonging to terrorist armed groups
Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia Vladimir Kolesnikov says that 60% of officials in the district police departments in Grozny are former or actual armed group members. In some parts of the republic the showing is even about 80%.

According to Interfax, Vladimir Kolesnikov spoke at a round-table discussion dedicated to legislative support to struggle against terrorism on June 16. The deputy prosecutor general strictly criticized some principles according to which departments for internal affairs are formed in Chechnya.

Kolesnikov says, it is very often that interior departments are formed in Chechnya as based upon family or clan relations. People in this case are not subject to thorough checking of their belonging to illegal armed groups. This fact poses serious problems to successful investigation and solving of terrorist crimes in Chechnya.

Meanwhile, the Chechen Interior Ministry was perplexed with the facts published by the General Prosecutor's Office. Press-secretary of Chechnya's Interior Ministry Ruslan Atsayev told Interfax that it was not clear where Kolesnikov got the facts that he had mentioned at the round-table discussion. He added: "The Ministry would be grateful to the Prosecutor's Office for providing exact information about those "terrorists" who work in the republican departments for internal affairs.

Ruslan Atsayev says that not only personnel management of the Interior Ministry but also special services organize thorough check-ups of candidates wishing to work in police. He says, it is a regular order of engaging personnel to police.

Lenta.ru