Asia Times: Moscow fears Chechen link to bin Laden


	September 13, 2001	atimes.com

Central Asia/Russia

Moscow fears Chechen link to bin Laden

By Sergei Blagov

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a co-ordinated international response to terrorism and has ordered the government to tighten Russia's security following the terrorists attacks on New York and Washington. Security has been especially heightened in the areas around Chechnya.

Putin conveyed Russia's "deepest sympathies to the relatives of the victims and the entire American people", saying that the "barbarous terrorist acts against innocent people caused anger and indignation in Russia".

"Russians understand their sorrow and pain as Russia also has suffered from terrorism," he said. "Such an inhuman act must not go unpunished and the entire international community should unite in the struggle against terrorism."

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov told Putin that the government had tightened security in the regions close to Chechnya.

More than 300 people died in apartment block bombings in Moscow and two other cities in September 1999. The Kremlin claimed that Chechen separatists, supported by Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden, were behind the attacks.

In response, Moscow launched a massive military assault against Chechnya rebels, reducing the regional capital Grozny to rubble.

During Russia's "anti-terrorist" operation in Chechnya, the West repeatedly accused Moscow of human right abuses in the region. Putin, rejecting the criticism, argued that conventional measures proved inefficient against international terrorism.

The tragic events in New York and Washington "have confirmed that international terrorism poses a global threat", said General Sergei Lebedev, director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). "The SVR now works with the US special services as well as with our partners in Western Europe, Middle East and Central Asia. Joint action is needed to forestall further terrorist attacks."

As a precautionary measure, all planes flying above Moscow and St Petersburg have been banned, said the commander of the air defence forces, Alexander Drobyshevsky. He said that tougher control has also been introduced over foreign and Russian aircraft flying through Russian territory.

Vyacheslav Tikhomirov of the Ministry of Interior said that security measures have been tightened around all major federal government buildings in Moscow, and Russian troops have been put on maximum alert across the country.

The ministry of Emergency Situations said that it has prepared planes and is ready to offer rescuers or other help to New York.

Following Tuesday's attacks, the dollar plunged against the ruble in central Moscow. Dealers lined up late into the night to sell dollars at half the official rate, causing several Bureau de Change to run out of rubles. Immediately, Prime Minister Kasyanov appeared on the state-run television to warn against panic sales of US Dollars. "Despite the horror of yesterday's terrorist attacks, the US economy remains strong," Kasyanov stated. "There is no reason to believe that the value of the US dollar will fall."

(Inter Press Service)