The Hindu : Chechen warlord killed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 26, 2002

International

International

Chechen warlord killed

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW: A leading rebel warlord is reported to have been killed in Chechnya in what could prove to be the biggest Russian success in eliminating separatist resistance in the breakaway region for years. Russia's main security service, FSB, said on Thursday that ``international terrorist Khattab, an ideologue and organiser of terrorist activities in Chechnya has been destroyed in a special operation mounted by FSB.'' An FSB spokesman promised to provide documented evidence soon of Khattab's death last month. If the report proves correct, it would be the biggest coup for the Russian forces since the killing of the Chechen separatist President, Johar Dudayev, in 1995. Khattab, an Arab of Jordanian origin, had been one of the most wanted Chechen warlords, who, together with his close ally, Shamil Basayev, led a rebel invasion in the neighbouring Russian republic of Dagestan in August 1999. The invasion triggered the second Russian military campaign against Chechen separatists. Russian officials claimed Khattab had terrorist connections with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network and was the main recipient of foreign aid for Chechen resistance.

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