Rumors cause terrorism panic

On Friday, November 4th, it seemed as if the city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan was paralyzed. Life had come to a halt: cafes and restaurants were deserted, and almost no one ventured out into the streets. Parents came and took their children home from schools and kindergartens. People were afraid to ride the buses, and it was impossible to catch a taxi. But the main thing – there was information, by word of mouth, regarding alleged acts of terrorism, murders, and hostage taking... It was the first time ever that the coal-mining capital of Kazakhstan had ever been enveloped in such a wave of panic.

It all began last Monday, when two powerful explosions thundered in the city of Atyrau. At 8:45 am local time, a powerful explosion occurred in a garbage bin near the regional akimat. A few moments later, an unidentified man blew himself up in vacant lot near an apartment building. It has now been determined that he was 24-year-old Baurzhan Sultangaliyev. The bomb, as a matter of fact, exploded by accident, and the Islamic organization ‘Caliphate of al-Juanda’ claimed responsibility for the bombings.

All across the nation, increased security measures were announced. On November 1st, regional interior ministry units were put on a high state of readiness in connection with the events in Atyrau. It can be assumed that this was in response to those who did not like the strengthening of our nation and preventive measures against religious terrorism. They calculated on intimidating the populace and sowing fear.

On the evening of November 3rd, readers telephoned a reporter from our newspaper without identifying themselves, and told about three schoolgirls who had been murdered near the new supermarket in Maykuduk. Everything was stated in categorical terms: no way to identify the victims, they had been beheaded.

But this was only a prelude to the nightmare that awaited the city the next day. The flurry of phone calls to the editors was nonstop. People of all ages, professions, religions, and nationalities phoned in. It was noteworthy that those who “heard something about terrorist attacks or killings” could not name any specific source for the information. In all cases, it came from “friends and acquaintances.”

The provocateurs’ powerful weapons were modern means of communication. Information came via cell phone texts, and messages on websites and blogs.

Events moved rapidly. Religious extremists allegedly were acting very quickly. Even grown men, heads of families, as well as civil servants, succumbed to the general mood. Wives telephoned them and begged them to quickly go get the children from kindergarten or school by car.

Initially it was reported that an attack had been carried out against one of the buses in the region of the 45th block. We checked it out, and got the same simple answer from ambulance medics, the police, and the emergencies directorate: “There were no emergency calls at that time.” Then, according to rumors, an attack took place on city bus number 70 in Mikhailovka.

It seemed that the situation was simply getting out of control. After lunch, Zhanatay Sembekov, chief of information for the Karaganda district interior ministry, gave this commentary: “None of the rumors have been confirmed, and no such cases have been reported, so we are asking citizens to remain calm.”

Meanwhile, rumors of terrorist attacks in Karaganda reached the parliaments in Astana and Almaty. Majilis deputy Mukhtar Tinikeev in his Twitter blog also denied the dubious information. “Karaganda! I talked with General Rahimberlinym, head of the district interior ministry. There have been no gang MURDERS or BOMBINGS IN KARAGANDA, NONE!” he Tweeted.

There was no reason for the panic. Really, how could any sane person believe any of this? But on that day, many succumbed to the general hysteria. The capture of a kindergarten, frightening scenes of murder, bombings of buses, and police cordons around mosques were bandied about as if they were facts. In reality, law enforcement agencies did inform us that there had been a police cordon around a mosque, but it was connected with travel by some of the city leadership.

Members of the clergy quickly held a press conference. Omirzak Bekkozha, the naib-Imam for city mosque № 2, and Alpysbay Rashid, chief Imam for the Karaganda region, explained that rumors about casualties or damages on the eve of the main Muslim holiday Eid had been spread by members of certain destructive cults: “It is all misinformation! Nothing of the sort really happened. This is being done by enemies, by some non-traditional sects. Some benefit from chaos. It is a psychological attack to spoil our holiday. Today we called the police and asked them to intervene. Fellow citizens! We ask you not to respond to these rumors. Be calm and celebrate the holiday in good spirits.”

Karaganda bloggers are also asking Kazakhs not to panic from the rumors. They have set up a social network with pictures of our hometown in order to refute rumors about a state of emergency. There are no gatherings of police on the streets, and people act calm.

But late at night Karaganda was unusually quiet and deserted as survival instinct took over. Official commentary and appeals from the authorities and clergy did not defuse the situation, so many an Internet pundit decided to display his imagination. Here is one of their bulletins: “According to recent reports, the central department store in the city of Karaganda was blown up, partially damaging the Abzal shopping mall. Meanwhile, three aircraft and a flying saucer crashed into the city mall. An army of aliens headed by the monster Cthulhu seized most of the southeast area. Angry monkeys were tossing filth around in the central park, but they then fled in an unknown direction. A huge army of Yetis and female elves is marching on the city from the direction of Temirtau. According to the UN, however, Superman has been directed to assist us, so have no fear.”

The district interior ministry’s press service reported that police are on alert, but only in order to “protect public order and the safety of citizens in connection with the approach of Eid. This is the usual practice of law enforcement agencies, and such measures are always taken on the holidays.”

Another article on the "panic" from a different paper:

“Who benefited from starting a panic?”

‘Noviy Vestnik’ gathers the views of some of the city’s leading citizens on the nature of rumors that were going around Karaganda.

On November 4th, Karaganda experienced a mass hysteria. Townspeople terrified each other with horror stories of about human sacrifices, bombings, and murders. Once passions subsided, ‘NV’ asked what really went on, and who benefited from it.

Anatoly Kim, lawyer for the Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law: Many people benefited, including officials who found it beneficial to escalate this situation of fear. Recently a new law on religion was adopted, and they are using it to tighten the screws on extremism and terrorism. The fact that there were explosions in Atyrau - there it was some fool, excuse me, but it was no terrorist. Their theory, that it was a terrorist attack, it just does not stick. This was the act of a madman, or someone who had been deceived or put up to it. What kind of a terrorist goes and blows himself up out on the outskirts, in a trash dumpster? What is the point? Personally, I think that panic was necessary in order to prove that there are certain extremist movements that must be dealt with, and citizens need to prepare for it - otherwise they will be blowing up buses, trolleys, trams, and so on. It was necessary so that the security services felt they had a free hand, so they can say: “Guys, we got to do this, we got to stop these rogues, look what they’re up to!” But was it really rogues who did this? That is the big question, and that is my personal opinion.

Ruslan Telegin, press secretary for the Ecomuseum: I think there is such a thing as a collective unconscious. This was a sort of mass hysteria, and here it did not matter from whom you heard it. It turned into an avalanche. I also ran into this when I heard it from sane and intelligent people, some with more than one degree, and I saw their panicked conditions. It was beneficial to those who wish to intimidate the public. When they commit a terrorist attack, they usually do it on a subway, airport, bus, or concert hall, somewhere where there are lot of people. But here our terrorists are somewhat more humane. All of them have blown up things very carefully, and without casualties. Only the bomber died. Terror is always the message, and it reaches the public very quickly when it involves a large number of casualties. I think that all of this was dreamt up within our country and does not come from elsewhere, from Wahhabi terrorists or some non-existent organization. It is all being done right here. This is what happened in Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000. They were also blowing things up, as if on a schedule. I think it was according to some principle of political science, however much this may sound cynical, but I think it is all the work of our own specialists.

Yuri Krivodanov, director of the ‘Blago’ public organization: Rumors about a terrorist attack? What do you mean! This is the first I have heard about it. Here in Karaganda? I talked to a lot of people, even sat down in mixed company, and no one heard anything about it. But my personal theory is that only the authorities benefit from it. Elections are coming, and they need consolidation and all that. It is the same old, same old. Everyone does it - the Americans, the Russians. It may not be as strongly developed here, I suppose, but the Americans and the Russians cannot think of anything else, just as soon as someone gets blown up, they courageously go after Bin Laden, who may or may not be alive. I will tell you this, though: organizing a major event like this is very difficult, even if it was legal and not a matter of somebody’s neck. And organizing such as thing is only within the means of organizations with multimillion-dollar budgets and world-class management. I evaluate the importance of Kazakhstan as very high, but not so high that organizations engaged in terrorism would pay any attention to us.

Igor Nesterenko, director of ‘Cinema Lenin’: It would be beneficial to those who want to destabilize our society. But for what purpose? That would be anyone’s guess. It is a pity that people here are so prone to panic. Fortunately, we have government and law enforcement agencies that know how to cope with their tasks. Apparently, the more incredible the tale, the more people are willing to believe it. It is clear that we all have been pumped up by media reports about events in the near and far abroad. The situation in Kazakhstan, even with all the political and social ambiguity, does not suggest a reason for such panic. I do not know who spread these rumors. It was according to the ‘I heard it from a friend’ principle. By word of mouth, from cell phone to cell phone. On the Internet a kind of hysterical orgy started. One can understand why officials and educators wanted to stay safe and ruined the holidays for the children - here a fifth grade class from one school cancelled their plans to see ‘Puss in Boots’. They had even bought tickets already. Now they want to postpone it for an indefinite time. On Friday and Saturday they called up and warned us. Today is Monday, and it does not look much like a holiday. There is practically nobody here.

Aigul Dementieva, deputy director of ‘Shakhtyor’ KGKP: Any sane person, especially someone who often goes on the Internet, knows that there is always somebody who has filmed some accident and uploaded the video onto the Internet. And we all go and look at what just happened three minutes ago. But in this case there were no photos, no video. Strange, especially since they said the explosions took place in the city center, where many people go. Yes, this is ridiculous! How is it even possible to believe this? There is a type of person who likes to sow panic and discord. They had to delay a visit by the President to our social facilities. Somebody just decided to destabilize the situation. I will not say that this was the work of the Wahhabis. I read that recently the Interior Ministry decided to get stricter in the jails, and in particular they do not allow prisoners to read their prayers. Perhaps by spreading rumors, this was one of the ways they are saying something about it. Maybe they are trying to get someone to pay attention. That is my opinion.

Natalia Usacheva, chairman of the Gender Information and Analysis Center: The schools fueled the rumors. Some classes were canceled that day. An old friend called me up, she teaches at the College of Arts, and they sent the students home. Later her child was supposed to go to swim lessons, they also called up and said not to come because they feared a terrorist attack. On Friday we had just gone to the labor bureau, and there was the deputy chief, and with her was her 10-year-old daughter, because they would not let her go to school, and they said to keep off the streets. I did not believe it from the very start. None of it was very believable. Apparently someone needs to get people worked up and in a panic. I think that it was somebody close to the Wahhabis doing a test. This spreading of rumors was done so that they could figure out what people might do, whether they might get frightened or not. More than likely it was certain radical opposition groups that are putting forward some kinds of demands. People do not always know this, but they give warnings that if you do not give in to them - perhaps elect someone or change some law - then you only have yourself to blame. It was the extremists sending a warning.

COMMENTARY FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST

NV: Why did people believe these rumors?

Psychologist Alexander Pak: Rumors about explosions and murders were spread in order to sow fear in people, to provoke anxiety and panic. In principle, it worked. Perhaps the rumors had an ideological subtext, especially when considering the fact that they were spread on the eve of Eid. This is a Muslim festival associated with sacrifice. There is a special religious ceremony, which involves the sacrifice of an animal, but the word sacrifice could be distorted and given another, more sinister meaning. Information is distorted and rumors start. In spreading rumors, special importance is given to understatement and mystery, and that is why they are anonymous. Events that have an effect on basic human values are incorporated into the subject of the rumor, and in this case it was the children, and their lives and health. Typically, a person is afraid for themselves and their loved ones. It is no wonder that people, when the rumors started flying, ran to the schools and kindergartens to get their children. The mechanism of action for rumors is rather simple: one can ignore something in the paper or on TV, but if a relative or close friend tells me about some terrible event, of course I will believe them, and this is what they were counting on. If ten friends all tell you the same thing, you are likely to accept it as truth. A rumor is possible under only one condition: that it summons an emotional response from people. If the transmitter of this information is a friend or relative, then this can more rapidly cause a reaction.

NV: To what end can terrible rumors provoke people?

Psychologist Alexander Pak: When there is panic, people think, “What will happen next?” It is easy to think up a lot of horror stories while remembering the script from some disaster film. People give in to the excitement and rush to buy salt, sugar, flour, and stock up on essential commodities. If the person is at that moment a member of some destructive cult, he can do anything, up to the most extreme. People with an unstable mentality, when led by sectarian leaders, can commit suicide. They think: “It’s all over, there’s no reason to live. The end of the world is here.”

NV: How should one cope with psychological pressure?

Psychologist Alexander Pak: We must receive rumors with a bit of humor, and laugh at them. Healthy irony and sarcasm are in this case the best helpers. No matter what the terrible story, it ceases to be scary once a person starts to laugh.

In ‘Noviy Vestnik’, Karaganda, Kazakhstan http://www.nv.kz/2011/11/08/23552

This just happened a few hours ago in a city I was just in:

Kazakh prosecutors acknowledge terrorist attack in the city of Taraz

Following shootings and explosions in the city of Taraz in South Kazakhstan, a criminal case was opened on two counts - murder and the commission of terrorist acts. According to ‘Interfax’, Deputy Attorney General of the Republic Nurmuhanbet Isayev made this statement on November 12th. The official stressed that the city had only suffered a single explosion, and not four as reported by some media sources. He also denied reports that there is a curfew in Taraz.

According to prosecutors, on Saturday morning, 34-year-old M.K. Kariyev (previously identified as Kaliyev), a follower of jihadist ideas, robbed a Taraz resident and stole his car. After this, he robbed a gun shop in the city. After killing a guard and fatally wounding a customer, Kariyev stole two ‘Saiga’ hunting carbines and ammunition, and fled. Two police officers pursued the gunman. Kariyev shot them both and took possession of a Makarov service pistol and a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

Kariyev next went home and got an RPG-26 grenade launcher. He drove to a building housing the regional department of the National Security Committee (Kazakh Security Service) and fired on it, also using the grenade launcher. No one was injured as a result of this fire.

This time in two horse-mounted police officers took off in pursuit of Kariyev. They managed to injure the offender, but he, in turn, mortally wounded them. After this, security forces finally managed to catch the bandit. In the ensuing firefight, he wounded yet another policeman. Kariyev’s last victim was a traffic police captain, who was killed when the terrorist blew himself up on being arrested.

It also reported that Kariyev also carried out an armed attack that killed two officers of the National Security Committee, which was conducting surveillance on him. The prosecutor’s officer did not specify exactly when this crime was committed.

As a result of events in Taraz, excluding Kariyev, seven people, including five police officers, were killed.

http://lenta.ru/news/2011/11/12/terror

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.