Putin faces double standards

Russian President Vladimir Putin is accusing the West of indulging terrorists. Putin says he faces double standards in the attitude towards terrorism.

He reiterated claims that the West has been two-faced by giving asylum to top &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/main/18/90/362/12591_Fatwa.html' target=_blank>Chechens and urging Moscow to negotiate with rebel leaders, but rejecting the possibility of dialogue with Osama bin Laden.

Putin's claims come just hours after a Chechen warlord claimed responsibility for a wave of deadly attacks in Russia, TVNZ News informed.

President &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/main/18/88/353/12157_Putin.html' target=_blank>Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia is "seriously preparing" for pre-emptive strikes against terrorists, while Chechen insurgent leader Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility for a school hostage-taking and other attacks that have claimed more than 430 lives.

Putin didn't elaborate, and it wasn't immediately clear whether he was referring to action against terrorists only at home or abroad as well. Other Russian officials, including Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, have said that Russia could conduct pre-emptive strikes against terrorists abroad, saying such action could involve any weapons except &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/main/18/88/351/12595_WMD.html' target=_blank>nuclear. The main Chechen rebel website, Kavkaz-Centre, posted on Friday what it said was an e-mail from Basayev, claiming his Riyadus Salikhin Martyrs' Brigade was responsible for the bombings of two Russian passenger jets last month, a suicide bombing outside a Moscow subway station and the school siege in the southern city of Beslan, wrote National Post.