15:41, 17 June 2004

Basayev threatens Russia with new terror attacks

The Kavkaz Center separatist website has published words uttered by Shamil Basayev at a conference of field commanders last Sunday, June 13. The website quoted him as saying, "Blows will be sudden and very painful." The rebels discussed the fulfillment of their military plans during the conference. According to the website, the Shakhid group Riyadus Salihiin has prepared a series of special operations, which will inflict serious damage on the enemy in both military and political spheres. The time and place of the terror attacks are not specified.

Meanwhile, reports that Basayev had not been in Chechnya for 10 months already appeared the day before. Head of the Chechen State Council Taus Dzhabrailov stated it. The field commander was secretly taken to a European country through Turkey because his health had seriously deteriorated, Mr Dzhabrailov said. Russian special services have not confirmed this information so far.

Source: Kavkaz Center Website