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| Caucasus |
| Vids show Maskhadov's true Islamic colors... |
| 2002-09-26 |
| Yet another from Steve, who likes doing my work for me... Videotape just released by the Chechen rebels confirms what U.S. intelligence has suspected — and what Russian President Vladimir Putin has long claimed — that the Chechen's so-called "moderate" leader Aslan Maskhadov has bowed to the Islamicist hard-liners and gone "jihadi." On the tape, his commentary on the shooting down of a Russian military helicopter, he is seen wearing epaulets inscribed with verses from the Koran. Behind him was the rebels' green flag, which used to feature the Chechen nationalist emblem of a wolf of Ichkeria, has been replaced by Koranic verse and a scimitar. The result looks very like the flag of Saudi Arabia, reflecting the puritanical and intolerant Wahhabi sect of Islam. At one point in the videotape, which Russian officials have made available to the Americans, Maskhadov refers to the armed men in camouflage gear surrounding him as "Mujahedin." American enthusiasm for getting the Russians back to the negotiating table with Maskhadov has accordingly nose-dived. The Russians, who have been warning for months that the Chechens were snuggling ever deeper into bed with al Qaida, are raising a new hot potato — the question of Saudi funding for the Chechens. It takes either a willing suspense of disbelief, some heavy-duty naivete, or some really wishful thinking to make the Chechen Bad Guys into anything other than a jihadi movement. Maskhadov was doing the "moderate" thing up until the WOT got under way seriously, but there were too many Chechens at Konduz to represent just a few guys who hopped a plane, like the bunch al-Muhajiroun sent. Khattab being a Soddy (albeit disguised as a Jordanian until he started to rot) was a further indication of Arabian involvement. There have been enough reports on the wahhabi roots of the Chechen movement, starting back when they invaded Dagestan. There's the mention of Chechnya in Friday prayers in Mecca and Medina, virtually every week. And then there were the comments by the shura members in the interview with Kavkaz.org a few months ago. I suppose any opinion that doesn't involve Soddies can be put down to not paying attention, but the Bush team should be paying attention. This is important, dammit! |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |