Russian soldiers carry the coffin of a victim from the Tu-154
Posted on 08/28/2004 3:32:55 AM PDT by MadIvan
Russian officials investigating the crashes of two passenger planes have discovered the remains of two Chechen women thought to be "Black Widows" - suicide bombers given that name because many have lost husbands in the war with Russia.
Officials have also found traces of explosive in the wreckage of at least one of the planes, all but confirming the theory that the jets, which crashed on Tuesday night killing 90, were destroyed by terrorist attacks.
Russian soldiers carry the coffin of a victim from the Tu-154 |
Yesterday a group associated with al-Qa'eda and calling itself the Islambuli Brigade said on an Islamic website that it was responsible, though the veracity of the claim was impossible to confirm. "Russia's slaughtering of Muslims is still continuing and will not end except with a bloody war," the statement said.
The smaller of the two planes - a Tu-134 which crashed near Tula, south of Moscow, with 44 people on board - was carrying a Chechen woman passenger, identified as Amanta Nagayeva, who bought a ticket an hour before the flight.
Her body was almost completely vaporised by the bomb but experts found two fragments more than one and a half miles apart. She was the only passenger on the flight whose remains are unclaimed.
Police records show she was born in 1977 near Vedeno, the home village of a militant Chechen warlord, Shamil Basayev. She lived in Grozny, the Chechen capital.
Explosives experts also said they had found traces of the military explosive hexogen in the wreckage of the larger jet, a Tu-154 that broke up near the southern Russian city of Rostov, killing 46.
A second Chechen woman, named as S Djerbikhanova, was initially booked on another flight to the Black Sea resort of Sochi which was due to carry more than 300 passengers. During check-in, she changed her ticket to the less popular evening flight.
Djerbikhanova sat in seat 19F, nine rows from the tail, which is considered the most vulnerable part of the plane. Her body is the only one that remains unclaimed from the Tu-154. There was confusion yesterday about how she was allowed to board.
A representative of Sibir, the airline, said: "We were surprised to discover a complete absence of any of her personal details. It seems she simply gave her name when buying the ticket . . . How could she have passed passport control? That is not our responsibility, but that of the airport."
The attacks are deeply embarrassing for President Vladimir Putin who swept to power on a pledge to eradicate Chechen militants and bring security to Russia.
This weekend the Kremlin is organising elections in Chechnya to appoint a president to replace Akhmad Kadyrov, the pro-Moscow leader who was killed in May in a bomb attack that Islamic militants said they carried out.
Mr Putin has announced that airport security will now be brought under the control of the interior ministry.
Money?
Its $$ in Ruskies pockets. They know that Israel or the US will get rid of the problem. A never ending cycle to fill the ruskies coffers!!
Islam is merely the sympton, not the disease. The problem is violent, low IQ savages left behind as the world progresses. If Islam didn't exist, a belief system would have to be created that provides them with a (false) moral justification. Take away Islam, and you still have a problem with a culture/society, where, as the saying goes, "the only good thing they're good at is dying".
Out-freaking-rageous! Reason #233 why I haven't flown since TWA800 was shot down.
This was the second time I have flown since 9-11! My supervisor made the flight arrangements for me. I would rather have driven, it is actually faster (5 hrs driving time from my door to the contractor facility in St Louis by car and 7 1/2 hrs by air). He did not know I would rather have driven and I went ahead and flew - never again!
You're preaching to the choir, FRiend.
Independent like American Mexicans of American SW? Or like Hawaiins? Or Eskimos? Or indians all over America? Or Cajuns or even US Confederacy...you throw many rocks living in glass houses.
Oh and last I check it was US who "stole" California from Mexico...double standard?
Add one more: Chechnya part of Russia longer then California part of US...give it back to Mexicans, they are majority there anyways.
Same question is askable of you...in reference to Saudi Arabia, KLA, PLO, Egypt, Pakistan...which side are you on?
Russia is thinking easy: Russia paid, Israel bombs, Iran starts from all over....any problems?
No Islam is the problem because in its belief it makes them into left behinds.
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