Terrorism in Russia (merged thread)

[davidbfpo]

A political context commentary:

The attacks, carried out by two female suicide bombers with apparent ties to radical Muslim groups, have highlighted the danger of the Islamist extremism that is a common threat for Russia and the West today but they have also been a troubling reminder of the threat Russians face from their own government.

Link:http://www.realclearpolitics.com/art...gs_105081.html

[bourbon]

State Department to leave Chechen rebel group off terror list, by Josh Rogin. ForeignPolicy.com: The Cable, April 29, 2010.

The State Department's update of its annual list of official terrorist groups is imminent, but the group that just attacked Moscow won't be on the list.

The Caucasus Emirate, which has been waging a jihad against the Russian government, is led by Doku Umarov, who calls himself the "emir of the North Caucasus." He was previously President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, but dissolved that Republic and established the Emirate in its place in 2007 in order to impose sharia law in his territory.

Umarov declared all the way back in 2007 that his group was expanding its struggle to wage war against the United States, Great Britain, and Israel. Last month, he released a video claiming credit for the suicide attacks in Moscow in March that resulted in the deaths of 39 people.

[Jedburgh]

NDC, 10 Jun 10: The Moscow Metro Bombings and Terrorism in Russia

The terrorist attacks in Moscow on 29 March that killed 40 and injured over 100, and the subsequent attacks in Dagestan and Ingushetia highlight a serious problem in Russia. The Russian authorities, led by President Medvedev, quickly responded by promising the swift pursuit and destruction of the terrorists, the review and improvement of anti-terrorism procedures and enhancement of social and economic measures to address the causes of terrorism in the North Caucasus. Two criminal cases were opened with the charges of terrorism, and an operational and investigation group established, initially comprised of 30 people drawn from the Investigative Committee of the General Procurators Office (SK) and the Federal Security Service (FSB). Moscow also linked the attacks to the international context, noting both the international training and preparation of the terrorists and thus the need for international cooperation to address the issue......

[davidbfpo]

A curious article:

On April 9 2010, after explosions in the Moscow metro killed 39 people, rumours were circulated of 1,000 ‘black widows’ who had been recruited by the militants. When the press published the names of 22, Tanya Lokshina of Human Rights Watch found that she knew some of these dangerous women : a seamstress whose real crime was being a human rights worker, a pious young mother whose husband had been tortured in the ‘6th Department’.

Link:http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russ...d-genuine-harm

[bourbon]

State Department to leave Chechen rebel group off terror list, by Josh Rogin. ForeignPolicy.com: The Cable, April 29, 2010.

U.S. Designates Chechen Militant Umarov As A 'Terrorist', RFE/RL, 24 June 2010.

The United States has designated Russia's most-wanted militant leader as a terrorist.

The State Department on June 23 said the listing, approved by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, would block the assets of Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov and sanction individuals or companies doing business with him.

The announcement -- seen as another sign of improving ties between Washington and Moscow – comes ahead of talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, in Washington today.

Bargaining chip?