Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev claims responsibility for recent terrorist attacks in Russia

According to Basayev, the attack in Beslan cost him 8,000 euros

Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility for explosions in Moscow, including the recent blast near the Rizhskaya metro station, the air crashes of the Tu-154 and Tu-134 airliners and the hostage crisis in Beslan, according to a Chechen terrorist website.

”The group Riyadus-Salikhin has conducted a series of successful operations on the territory of Russia. The explosions on the Kashirskoye Highway and near the Rizhskaya metro station were organized by the Moscow regional division of Shakhids. The two air crashes were organized by the special operations department. The operation Nord-West in the town of Beslan was carried out by the second battalion of Shakhids, under the command of Colonel Orstkhoev,” a statement from Basayev runs. 

It was Chechen terrorist Shamil Basayev, who set up the Islamic battalion of Shakhids, Riyadus-Salikhin. According to Russian special services, Basayev organized terrorist acts in Budennovsk in 1995 (when terrorists took hundreds hostage at a local hospital) and in Moscow in 2002 (the hostage crisis at the Moscow music theatre).

In the middle of July, Basayev announced that new operations were being prepared to cause serious damage to federal forces both militarily and politically.

Basayev's message also contained the requirements that the terrorists set forth to release hostages at the school of Beslan. The hostage-takers demanded the cessation of war in Chechnya and the withdrawal of troops from the republic. “If Putin does not want peace, we demand Putin should resign from the position of the president immediately,” the terrorist said. On behalf of the hostages, the terrorists announced a hunger-strike. “If Putin orders to stop the war and starts the withdrawal of the troops, we will give water to the hostages.”

Terrorist act near Rizhskaya Metro Station: Photo gallery

It was reported before that Putin was ready to meet a requirement of the terrorists – to withdraw the troops from Chechnya and to grant autonomy to the republic, Nikolai Mosintsev-Ozeransky said in an interview with the Echo of Moscow radio station on September 8th. Mosintsev took part in the work of the special quarters to release hostages in Beslan. As soon as the militants demanded the granting of autonomy to Chechnya, the Russian authorities started working on the draft order, according to which Chechnya would be announced a separate state, Mosintsev said.

Hostage crisis in Beslan: Photo gallery

Shamil Basayev also said that if the real withdrawal of the Russian troops from Chechnya had started, the hostages would have been given food. “As soon as the troops are withdrawn from the mountainous districts, we will release children under ten years of age. The rest of the children will be released when the withdrawal ends. If Putin sends in a resignation, we will release the rest of the children and retreat to Chechnya,” the terrorist wrote in his letter.

A personal note from Shamil Basayev was sent to President Putin through the hands of ex-president of Ingushetia, Ruslan Aushev, and the former head of North Ossetia, Alexander Dzasokhov.

The statement from Basayev says that the terrorists did not ask to release any prisoners. However, it was reported before that the terrorists wanted the Russian authorities to release all imprisoned militants, who raided Ingushetia on June 22.

Basayev also mentioned the only terrorist, who was arrested after the storm of the school in Beslan – Nur-Pasha Kulaev, who started testifying at once. “Everything that the man says is not important. I hired Kulaev brothers and two of their home-folks in the group at the last moment only to have a larger quantity of warriors. They were hired on August 31 at 4:30 p.m. and sent for the operation at 8 p.m. I personally knew Khan-Pasha (one of the brothers), who had no right arm. I gave him a gun and a grenade. I gave machine-guns to others and told them that they would have to watch the situation on their posts,” Basayev wrote.

”Nobody, but us are involved in the air crashes and the blast near the metro station in Moscow,” Basayev said in the statement. According to the terrorists, the attacks were timed to coincide with the presidential election in Chechnya. He also said that he did not know Osama bin Laden and did not receive any money from him. “This year I have received only $10,000 and 5,500 euros from foreigners. I have been waging war solely at the expense of the Russian budget,” Basayev said.

”It cost $4,000 to down the passenger liners, $7,000 were spent to organize the bomb attacks on the Kashirskoye Highway and near the metro station. The Nord-West operation in Beslan cost 8,000 euros. The weapons were captured, the vehicle was captured, the bombs were captured – we spent money on food and equipment. We were short of money to reach Moscow. Thirty-three mujahideens took part in the Nord-West operation in Belsan, including two women. We have trained four women actually, but I sent two of them to Moscow on August 24th to down the planes. There were 12 Chechen males, two Chechen females, nine Ingush men, three Russians, two Arabs, two Ossetians, one Tatar, one Kabardin and one Guran,” Basayev wrote in his statement. (Guran is a Russified nation that lives in the Zabaikalie region in Siberia).