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July 10, 2006

Chechnya: Islamist Leader, "Butcher Of Beslan", Is Killed

The best news to come from Russia today is that Shamil Basayev, the man who boasted that he was the mastermind of the atrocity at Beslan, where in September 2004, 1,000 children and adults were taken hostage, has been killed. 331 people, including 186 young children were killed, and only one person has been prosecuted. Basayev was also responsible for the Moscow theater siege in 2002, where 130 died. He also led an assault on a hospital in Budyonnovsk in June 1999, where 1,500 people were held hostage for five days. 129 people were killed in that incident.

The Times and rian.ru report that Basayev (pictured left) was killed in overnight operations in Ingushetia. A total of 12 militants were killed, including Isa Kushtov, Ali Taziyev, and Tarkhan Gazhiyev.

A federal security forces spokesman said: "Even though security forces are 100% sure that Basayev has been killed, his death will be confirmed. The terrorist's remains will be brought to a medical laboratory, where an analysis will be carried out." It could take up to a week for the results to be known.

We reported earlier that an explosives-laden truck, with a convoy of three cars, had blown up (pictured, below right). It now appears that Basayev was in one of the three cars. Russian TV has apparently shown pictures of what is left of his bloodied body.

Vladimir Putin said: "This is a just punishment of the bandits for our children in Beslan, in Budyonnovsk, for all the terrorist attacks that they carried out in Moscow and in other regions of Russia."

Alu Alkhanov, the Kremlin-backed president of Chechnya, told Interfax news: "I think today can be considered the logical conclusion of the heavy struggle that the special services, the federal forces and law enforcement bodies have been waging against illegal armed groups."

41-year old Basayev was born in Vedeno, southeastern Chechnya in 1965. He was named after Imam Shamil, a leader of the anti-Russian resistance in the 19th century Caucasian War. His first "terrorist" act was to take part in the hijacking of an Aeroflot plane in 1991. He became commander of the Chechen rebel forces in 1996, and he lost a foot in January 2000, after stepping on a landmine.

The apparent death of Basayev is now being claimed as the work of a targeted missile strike, according to a report on Russia's Channel One TV, states Interfax. This contradicts the earlier story about a truck accidentally blowing itself up.

Basayev was often in personal slanging matches with the Putin-approved Chechen president, Ramzan Kasyrov. His take on the incident is that "Basayev was a jackal and died like a jackal."

There were several body parts strewn about after the explosion, said a Russian official on Interfax. Ingush Deputy Prime Minister Bashir Aushe said: "After the explosion, body parts were collected. Basayev was identified through the body parts. As far as I know, he was identified by the head. All his characteristic features are there."

In Rostov-on-Don, the Russian Prosecutor General, Yuri Chaika, said that Basayev's case file will be closed, upon confirmation of his death. "A procedural decision to close the criminal case, due to the death of the defendant will be made after all medical and legal tests on the individual's identification," he was quoted as saying on Interfax.

The Chechen rebel website, Kavkaz Center is stating that Basayev is dead. It claims "The representative of Military Council of State Defense Council Majlisul Shura of CRI Abu Umar has reported to Kavkaz Center news agency that the vice-president of CRI, the Military Amir of Mujahideen of Caucasus, Abdallah Shamil Abu-Idris became a Shaheed (insha Allah)."

"The Chechen commander die as a result of a accidental spontaneous explosion of a cargo vehicle with explosives on July 10, 2006, in Ekazhevo village, Ingushetia. Three other Mujahideen became Shaheeds (insha Allah) together with him."

"The representative of Military Coucil has not reported any other details. At the same time he denied all claims of Russian side about a "special operation" against Shamil Basayev as a result of which ostensibly, the Chechen commander die."

Earlier today, the site had published an open letter from Shamil Basayev, addressed to the Iraqi terrorists who recently kidnapped and murdered four Russian diplomats:

"Mujahideen of the Caucasus express huge gratitude to those who has carried out the elimination of the Russian diplomats the spies in Iraq. Their elimination is the worthy answer to the murder by Russian terrorists from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation of the Chechen diplomat, ex-president of CRI, Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev.

May Allah (SWT) reward you in the best way.

Allahu Akbar!"

We will be updating this story as more clear reports, and pictures, arrive.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 10, 2006 1:35 PM

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Posted by: Christian at July 10, 2006 10:38 PM

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