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Russian ’spies’ held over bombing
2004-02-26
Three Russian intelligence agents have been arrested in Qatar over the murder of a former Chechen president, officials in Qatar and Moscow say.
Let 'em go. They've suffered enough.
Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev was killed in a car bomb attack nearly two weeks ago. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said the three Russian suspects were held a week ago.
Besides, all the witnesses are dead.
Officials in Qatar, quoted by Reuters news agency, said two men had been charged and one with Russian diplomatic papers was freed.
It's all that injustice that made 'em do it, y'know. They're not responsible for their actions. Perhaps Islamists should be asking themselves "Russers: Why do they hate us?"
Russia said the three men detained in Qatar were members of its special services and called the arrests a hostile step by a state which connived with terrorists. Mr Ivanov condemned the arrests. "These Russian citizens, one of whom has a diplomatic passport, are members of the Russian special services... linked to the battle against international terrorism," Mr Ivanov told the Qatar ambassador in comments published on the Russian foreign ministry website. Mr Yanderbiyev was killed in a car blast as he left a mosque after prayers in the Qatari capital Doha.
Probably they were working for U.N.C.L.E. Best to just pretend the whole thing never happened.
Posted by:Howard UK

#6  Reach out and touch... and leave the cannoli.
Posted by: tu3031   2004-2-26 9:30:03 PM  

#5  If they did the bombing, why did they stick around instead of heading back for Russia just after the blast? I'd assume in that type of scenarii, the agents are half-way to motherland before the investigation even begins.
Posted by: Anonymous   2004-2-26 12:52:50 PM  

#4  "Do you remember Lebanon? We still have people capable of that...where's your son now?"
Posted by: Frank G   2004-2-26 12:41:26 PM  

#3  The russians are upset:
Confirming that the detainees are anti-terrorism agents, Russia condemned the arrests as a "hostile move". Russia has denied any involvement in the killing of Mr Yanderbiyev on 13 February. Acting Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told the Qatari ambassador in Moscow on Thursday that the detainees were "members of the Russian special services... linked to the battle against international terrorism".
"The insinuation of the Qatar authorities cannot be seen as anything but a hostile move," he said, going on to suggest the Qatari authorities had "practically kept Yanderbiyev under protection". Mr Ivanov said the Russian detainees had been subjected to "rough physical force".

Don't piss off the russian bear, he still has teeth and claws and isn't afraid to use them.
Posted by: Steve   2004-2-26 9:57:07 AM  

#2  The question is... Can they be hired?
Posted by: Shipman   2004-2-26 9:03:41 AM  

#1  
I realize that the above quoted from Mr Ivanov is in Diplo-Speak...but, "One under Official Cover, the other two attached to Special Services,"...was already too much said.

Then continuing that they were "Linked to the Battle against, ect, ect..." was was a fairly bold admission that the Russian Government itself had ordered the hit on Yanderbiyev.

Which they undoubtedly did...but it is still surprising that they would admit it in this fashion.

It is almost as though the Russians wanted the Word out...We're hunting humans also, and killing them wherever we find them."

Hummmmm........
Posted by: Traveller   2004-2-26 5:17:41 AM  

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