Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Here's something the US media missed
Vladimir Putin may not be the ideal next door neighbor, but he does know a thing or two about dealing with the 'not so nice.'
From Russian Focus 1 News
Grozny. Thirty relatives of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov, including his wife, have been led away to an unknown place by masked men, said Maskhadov’s spokesman Ahmed Zakaev on radio the Echo of Moscow, AFP reported.
“It happened on September 2nd in Chechnya, while I was negotiating with North Ossetian President Alexander Dzasohov and with former President of Ingushetia Ruslan Aushev for a possible involvement of Maskhadov in settling the hostage crisis in Beslan. The parents of Maskhadov are also among the captives”, Zakaev said. “Since then, we have had no information about their fate”, he added.
The agency reminds that on Thursday Aslan Maskhadov said that he was ready to help unconditionally for the achievement of a peaceful solution to the hostage crisis in North Ossetia. He confirmed that he had nothing in common with the terrorists.
Uh huh, right.
In any case, it is textbook Russian technique. In the early 80's, there were a rash of kidnappings in Lebanon committed by Hizbollah forerunners. American, British and Russian citizens were targeted.
The Russians got word to the kidnappers that if their hostages were not released in 24 hours or so, the parents, in-laws and other immediate relatives of the kidnappers would be killed.
While Americans and British citizens were held, the Russians were released.
Something for us and the Israelis to think about. ¶ 7:49 PM
From Russian Focus 1 News
Grozny. Thirty relatives of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov, including his wife, have been led away to an unknown place by masked men, said Maskhadov’s spokesman Ahmed Zakaev on radio the Echo of Moscow, AFP reported.
“It happened on September 2nd in Chechnya, while I was negotiating with North Ossetian President Alexander Dzasohov and with former President of Ingushetia Ruslan Aushev for a possible involvement of Maskhadov in settling the hostage crisis in Beslan. The parents of Maskhadov are also among the captives”, Zakaev said. “Since then, we have had no information about their fate”, he added.
The agency reminds that on Thursday Aslan Maskhadov said that he was ready to help unconditionally for the achievement of a peaceful solution to the hostage crisis in North Ossetia. He confirmed that he had nothing in common with the terrorists.
Uh huh, right.
In any case, it is textbook Russian technique. In the early 80's, there were a rash of kidnappings in Lebanon committed by Hizbollah forerunners. American, British and Russian citizens were targeted.
The Russians got word to the kidnappers that if their hostages were not released in 24 hours or so, the parents, in-laws and other immediate relatives of the kidnappers would be killed.
While Americans and British citizens were held, the Russians were released.
Something for us and the Israelis to think about. ¶ 7:49 PM
