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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Hard boyz planning Beslan copycat operation |
| 2004-10-27 |
| In Chechnya, two members of illegal armed groups from Rappani Khalilov's gang have surrendered voluntarily, the representative of the regional operative headquarters for counterterrorist operations in the North Caucasus, Ilya Shabalkin, said today. He said that during the investigative process of registering the surrender, the rebels said the main motive for them quitting Khalilov's ranks was a wish not to take part in carrying out terrorist acts. They also said the rebels are planning a terrorist act similar to September's in Beslan. [Shabalkin] Law-enforcement bodies have information about how a large terrorist act is being planned on the orders of [Chechen rebel leaders, Aslan] Maskhadov and [Shamil] Basayev. We are not ruling out that it will be similar to what the rebels carried out in Beslan on 1 September this year. This became known to us from the statements of two rebels from Rappani Khalilov's gang who have given themselves up. As we know, this band is permanently moving around the territory of Nozhay-Yurtovskiy District. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |