Chechen official calls for all-round approach to fighting terrorism

[BBC Monitoring/BBC. Source: Financial Times Information Limited.] | November 16 2004 | Darko Trifunovic

[Darko]

Chechen official calls for all-round approach to fighting terrorism

[Darko]

Chechen official calls for all-round approach to fighting terrorism

Groznyy, 15 November: Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov has called for using a multifaceted approach to eradicate terrorism and violence in Chechnya.

"Targeted special operations must be uninterrupted and tough as regards particular ringleaders and terrorists guilty of people's deaths," Kadyrov told Interfax. Special significance should be attached to operational and reconnaissance measures, Kadyrov said.

"District police stations, divisional inspectors, and even heads of local administrations must serve as the eyes and ears of the regional operational headquarters and other agencies fighting terrorists," he said. "We have decided to dramatically increase the responsibility of this link, because within their territories they must know not only who is involved in unlawful armed groups but be aware of when each mouse leaves its hole and when it comes back," Kadyrov said. If this information does not reach the higher leadership, that means it is being concealed, for which somebody must answer, he said.

Kadyrov also called for stepping up ideological work to explain to the people the essence of Wahhabism, the real purposes of guerrillas, and the methods and purposes of those financing the terrorists. "Unfortunately, specific, correct, and targeted propaganda and counter-propaganda is lacking in the Russian media, and it is sometimes substituted by blame being put on the entire people," he said.

"Even in the most difficult times, when the unlawful armed groups included prominent field commanders and received substantial money from abroad, special attention was paid to efforts to return deluded young people from these groups, and dozens of guerrillas left the woods every month," Kadyrov said. He called for stepping up these efforts as well. "I will never agree with those favouring absolute amnesty, but it is necessary to struggle for those who have not yet committed crimes so that the unlawful armed groups not be beefed up," he said.

Kadyrov also suggested that new jobs must be created to give young people the opportunity to earn their living in a fair way. He said ten per cent of unemployed Russians are Chechen residents now. Talking about a special operation that is under way in the Chechen mountains, Kadyrov said it has been very productive. "Since it was launched, dozens of guerrillas have been killed, including the most irreconcilable and rueful terrorists, and a huge amount of weapons has been seized. The circle around the guerrilla leaders is tightening every day," he said.