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http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2371&cid=11&sid=61

Russia

There were key developments regarding Russia over the past two months. For example, Jane’s Defense Weekly reported that a Russian listening post was used by the Syrians to assist Hezbollah during their recent conflict with Israel. After the conflict ended, over 500 Russian military engineers entered Lebanon to rebuild infrastructure. Among the forces were two battalions of Russian Muslims, including Chechens, and a former Chechen rebel commander. This now becomes a big issue for an analyst. With Muslims, particularly Chechens, inside the Russian military, how likely is it that some of these are radical Muslims who will pass training, information, or weapons to terrorist groups?

Another point that should be noted is that, although most would dismiss this possibility, are Chechens and Muslims being used by the Russian military for strategic purposes? That question must be asked because it is clear now that the Russians use Muslim recruits to build relations with unsavory regimes (like Syria) and groups (like Hezbollah). We must also determine how it is possible that a former Chechen rebel commander could be converted to work for the Russians. The answer to that question will likely reveal dozens of more questions.

Alexander Litvinenko, a high-level FSB defector involved in top-secret units, was poisoned this month as he was investigating the death of the Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, a frequent critic of Russian President Putin. Politkovskaya was “mysteriously” shot while investigating Putin. Litvinenko was poisoned with thallium after meeting with a former colleague at a sushi bar. The most senior KGB defector to Britain, Oleg Gordievsky, has stated that he believes (as did Litvinenko) that the Russian leadership was behind the poisoning. He points to the sophistication of the poison, his knowledge of secret Russian operations, and claims that the person who put the poison in was recruited at a prison by the FSB and, was a former friend of Litvinenko.

We could learn a lot about Russia by examining these recent developments. What was Politkovskaya onto that very likely led her murder? What was Politkovskaya about to reveal that could unnerve the Russian regime so?

• That the Chechen government was secretly financed by the Russians?

• That the covert structures of the former Soviet Union never collapsed and are still very much in control in the current Russian regime?

A lot of people are investigating Politkovskaya’s death, so why would Litvinenko be targeted? We must delve into what he attempted to reveal in the past. While some of his allegations can be debated, no one can doubt that his death by poisoning enhances his credibility. We should also remember that his book, “Blowing Up Russia: Terror From Within” was confiscated by the Russian authorities. What had Litvinenko alleged, in his book, that the Russians did not want to ever see the light of day?

• That the 1999 bombings that provoked the invasion of Chechnya were carried out by the FSB?

• That active covert Russian operations, involving assassination, bribery, kidnapping, and other criminal acts to oppress dissent, are ongoing?

• That Russia in the past trained and sponsored terrorists around the world, and still does?

• That leaders of terrorist groups and states, such as Carlos The Jackal, Yasser Arafat, and Saddam Hussein, were KGB agents, or at the very least, were supported by the Russians?

• That Ayman al-Zawahiri, the #2-in-command of Al-Qaeda, was trained by the FSB in 1998 on the Russian territory of Dagestan and then sent to Afghanistan to link up with Al-Qaeda?