Separatists deny their involvement in terrorist act in Moscow

We call your attention to the statement by the president and government of the unrecognized Chechen Republic of Ichkeria:

Again, a terrorist act in Moscow, again tens of people killed. There is no and cannot be justification to the terror against the peace population. The Government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria always condemned and condemns terrorism in all its displays.

One can say with certainty that special services of the Russian Federation will find out the "Chechen trace" in the train blast in the Moscow metro very soon. It is also safe to say that sooner or later, as it was in the case of previous terrorist acts, the direct or indirect participation of the Russian special services will be revealed in this monstrous crime.

We already have the sad experience that any political activity in Russia entails terrorism. It was in the autumn of 1999 when the explosions of apartment houses in Russian cities resulted in the accession of a dull, ordinary-looking person, a FSB (Federal Security Service) employee known to no one at that time Lieutenant Colonel Putin, to power in the Kremlin. There is no doubt that this explosion is timed to the forthcoming March presidential election in the Russian Federation, in which Putin is widely expected to win and his beforehand announced victory could be supported by the frightened population, aspiring again to find authority of "a firm hand".

The President and Government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria declare that they do not have slightest relation to this bloody provocation and unequivocally condemn it.

On behalf of the President and Government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Akhmed Zakayev, Vice Premier of the Chechen Government, Special Envoy of the President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

6 February 2004

Editors note: See also the article "Death toll from Moscow metro blast reaches 39".