Russia: Moscow attack may be linked to Afghanistan militias
Netanyahu extends condolences to Russia saying Israel stands 'united with enlightened nations in battle against terror.'
By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press Tags: Russia Israel terrorism Israel newsRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said militants operating on the Afghan-Pakistan border may have helped organize suicide bomb attacks that killed 38 in Moscow on Monday, Interfax news agency reported on Monday.
Two female suicide bombers attacked Moscow metro stations during the Monday morning rush hour. Both likely had links to the North Caucasus, the centre of an Islamist insurgency against Moscow, the head of Russia's FSB state security service said.
Some Russian officials have said that the insurgents in the North Caucasus, which includes Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan, have ties to Al Qaida, though many analysts have disputed the link.
Lavrov did not mention Al Qaida, but said the bombers may have had links to militants on the Afghan-Pakistan border, where Al Qaida militants, and Afghan and Pakistan Taliban fighters are present.
Asked if there could have been any foreign involvement in Monday's attacks, Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying: "I do not exclude that."
"We all know that the Afghan-Pakistan border, in the so called no-man's land, the terrorist underground is very well entrenched," Lavrov was quoted as saying.
"We know that many people there actively plot attacks, not just in Afghanistan, but also in other countries. Sometimes the trails lead to the Caucasus," he said.
Earlier Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended Israel's condolences to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday after at least 39 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded in a twin terror bombing in Moscow.
"Please accept our condolences, on behalf of the government and the Israeli people, to the families of the victims, and wishes of recovery for the wounded," Netanyahu wrote, condemning the attack and explaining how Israel identifies with the Russians, "as a country that is itself a target for terror."
"We stand with you," he added, "united with the enlightened nations in the battle against the terror that threatens the entire human race."
Russian Emergency Ministry spokeswoman Svetlana Chumikova said 23 people were killed at the Lubyanka station in central Moscow, located underneath the building that houses the main offices of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the KGB's main successor agency.
A second explosion hit the Park Kultury station about 45 minutes later. Chumikova said at least 12 were dead there.
"I heard a bang, turned my head and smoke was everywhere. People ran for the exits screaming," said 24-year-old Alexander Vakulov, who said he was on a train on the platform opposite the targeted train at Park Kultury.
Explosives equivalent to around 6 kilograms of TNT were used in the two attacks, the FSB later added, according to a report by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
FSB director Alexander Bortnikov said the bomb at the Lubyanka station exploded with a force of up to 4kg of TNT and the second, at Park Kultury, had between 1.5kg and 2 kg of TNT.
He added that in both cases the bombs were packed with metal nuts and bolts meant to increase the destructive nature of the blast.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said both explosions were believed to have been set off by female suicide bombers as the trains entered the stations. In the first case, officials said the explosion was on the train; there was no immediate information on the location of the second blast.
"The first data that the FSB has given us is that there were two female suicide bombers," Luzhkov told reporters at the Park Kultury site.
A police source told RIA Novosti that the Lubyanka bomb was detonated at a height of 100-200 cm and was apparently attached to the waist of a female bomber.
Putin vowed on Monday to detroy those responsible for attacks.
"A crime that is terrible in its consequences and heinous in its manner has been committed," Putin said at the start of a video conference with senior emergencies officials.
"I am confident that law enforcement bodies will spare no effort to track down and punish the criminals. Terrorists will be destroyed," said Putin, who was on a visit to the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.
United States President Barack Obama condemned the bombings in the Moscow metro, offering his condolences to the Russian people. In a statement issued by the White House early Monday, the president said:
"The American people stand united with the people of Russia in opposition to violent extremism and heinous terrorist attacks that demonstrate such disregard for human life, and we condemn these outrageous acts"
The last confirmed terrorist attack in Moscow was in August 2004, when a suicide bomber blew herself up outside a city subway station, killing 10 people.
Responsibility for that blast was claimed by Chechen rebels and suspicion in Monday's explosions is likely to focus on them and other separatist groups in the restive North Caucasus region.
The Moscow subway system is one of the world's busiest, carrying around 7 million passengers on an average workday, and is a key element in running the sprawling and traffic-choked city.
The blasts practically paralyzed movement in the city center as emergency vehicles sped to the stations. Helicopters hovered over the Park Kultury station area, which is near the renowned Gorky Park.
Passengers, many of them in tears, streamed out of the station, one man exclaiming over and over "This is how we live!"
At least a dozen ambulances were on the scene.
|
A Russian rescue worker at the Lubyanka metro station, hit Monday by a suicide bomber. |
| Photo by: (Reuters) |
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I am a true Highlanderare are you ? Cameron Highlanders Fiercer than Fiercness itself. If you were a Scotsman you would Know a mans a man for awe that. Chieftain o the puddin race :)
i-slam does not has to bow before anyone. anyone who opposes it, his hands will be cut and throat slit. It is Allah's will and He has decided to punish the infidels. With His will, we have installed one of our own in the white house. we shall take their women and grow our nos. we shall create 1000s of Jihad Janes and break their back. from this website too, we can take foolish women like Colin and Maureen. and their is a 3rd one who talks incoherently. i forget her name. count her in too. and we can use dopeheads like Mark Lincoln to provide 'rationale' to our work!!! nd off course we have the 'human rights' mafia with us. the Religion of Peace has all worked it out for itself. meanwhile u demand the Queen to convert because it is very offensive that an infidel is the Queen.
Munich, Collaboration, denonciations there is a common denominator underlying all of these - French leftists and pacifists.
...rides again...
Lev Nikolaievitch Tolstoï was not so selective. I think he would think twice about remebering King David Hotel amidst other events and forgetting Arab pogroms of 1929, 1937 and others. I am sure Lev Nikolaievitch Tolstoï would support Zionizm as a national liberation movement as a struggle of Jewish minority against Arab-Muslim oppression.
...and replace it by the word killers. now look again at the whole pictures, in the middle-east, russia or elsewhere, and tell me who is doing most of the killings.
~~BUT this different to the `terrorism` in the ME but it is caused by the same formula: Oppresion. Russian/Chechnyan terrorism is not equal to Israel/ME `terrorism` ~~ Ok, shine me with your truth... Is it not true that Hamas main objective is the total destruction and annihilation of the State of Israel? Is it not true that all this mention in its founding charter? Ok, it is different type of terrorist between Russian and in Israel.. because what Israel is facing 10000000000 x worse than that of what Russia is facing... The terrorist in Russia did not try to annihilate russsian.. well maybe but not openly...
Not so fast there Russia. I hope you know that you are not allowed to retaliate against terrorists. The International community, the UN, and human rights groups everywhere have made it clear that no nation may take action to defend its citizens, and no action can be taken to aprehend, or kill the murderers. Sucks dont it...
Please give me the source of your rumours.... ~~~~Yesterday, it was reported that the `Lords Liberation Army` had slaughtered `at least several hundred` villagers in a rampage through the Eastern Congo. In the United States, the FBI arrested seven members of a right-wing Christian militia under anti-terrorism laws. Presumably, they had decided the end times were upon us, and were planning to begin acting accordingly. Then too, back a month of so ago, the Knesset openly honored Jewish terrorists that were hung by the British. Why am I confident none of the protestors objecting to today`s news objected to that?~~~ Are you sure you can substantiate your claim with hot solid compelling facts rather than just emotional rants ?
Lev Nikolaievitch Tolstoï already wrote in the second half of 19th century a book about Russian oppression in Tchetchenya (Hadji Mourad). This racist oppression has never stopped ever since. Some people should think twice about what they call terrorists and remember Deir Yassin and King David Hotel amidst other events.
israel had its terrorist organizations like Irgun and Gangstern led by ex israeli PM.Manahem Begin in order to have an independent jewish state.
Netanyahu is useless. Talking terror won't save YESHA. It's too late for that. It's too late for Ramat Shlomo. I feel sorry for shlomo.
"While it is detrimental to the cause of all these people, be they from Chechnya, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, as it is deadly to the innocent people who they target, the fact is that this is the only way they can strike at their oppressors"
States need to unite and do something about it, whether the strategy is military or economic or making it clear that this kind of conduct will set back nationalistic goals for a specific period of time. Getting into the game of so-called justifiable or non-justifiable terrorism, nourishes terrorism because what is justified is in the eyes of the beholder. Targeting innocent civilians is beyond the pale and failing to take a tough and affirmative stand against it amounts to aiding and abetting terrorism and ultimately inflicting tremendous & unjustifiable pain on people.
When you consider the fact that Muslims outnumber Jews 100 to 1, Jews are a more violent than Muslims using you logic. For example, Muslims would have to murder 140,000 people in order to equal what Israel did in Gaza last year. For the record, I don't subscribe to such logic that judges people collectively.
Don't forget that Chechnya never wanted to be part of Russia. So many of their women were raped by Russian soldiers, Russia bombed the hell out of Grozny and killed so many people. I am againt terrorism, but the crimes against Chechnyans is even worse than what Israel did to Palestinians. I forget that they are not human beings worthy of freedom and ethnicities who are Muslim are supposed to be oppressed. Even a Russian woman who reported on crimes against Chechnyans was killed by her own government. Oppressing Muslims leads to more violence and counterviolence.
As a Muslim I totally condemn this heinous crime. I promise all the non-muslim readers, suicide, as well as the killing of innocent people is not in Islam. Furthermore, suicide bombings never changes any political situation. Palestinians tried it against Israel with no resulting political change. The killing of innocent people serves absolutely no purpose. Putin should find who did this and send them to hell. Shame on those who planned this.
Any time an innocent person is killed irrespective of his religion (whether Jew, Christian, Muslim or Hindu or of any other religion) that act is extremely condemnable and reprehensible. But to all the Islam haters I would like to say: Muslims have been extremely backward as far as Science and Technology are concerned. Who were the peace-loving countries and people who invented the modern and deadliest weapons of war like bombs, fighter jets and bombers, tanks, missiles, ships, artillery, rockets and the grand daddies of them all: nuclear and chemical weapons? What prompted the invention of these kind of weapons? Surely they were not meant to fight the Muslims, were they? Most Muslim countries do not even have the skills to manufacture a bicycle, let alone all these deadly weapons of war. I repeat I do not condone any act of violence against civilians and do not favor any kind of armed conflict, unless it is a declared war in self-defense, not a war conducted by shadowy groups.
SDHD, in all honesty tell me how much do you know about Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, or Islam for that matter? Do you know why the people in the first case hate Russians? Or why do people of the latter hate Americans? Do you know, and this is not just a question for you, meaning of Islam or it's tenets and what the faith proscribes to the followers? I am anxious to see the answer, as all I see on my own continent, and in the West in general, is ignorance, xenophobia, bigotry. Now, I am not saying that suicide killings are right or justified, but they are the result, and trying to solve a problem from a result will lead you nowhere. It is the cause that must be adressed, and when it is, the result will be better for everyone; Muslim, Jew, Christian. Islam is not the enemy of the latter two. It accepts them as equal, as it's predecessors, and that is clearly said in the Kur'an.Internet is here, so read and learn before judging. That goes for Muslims too.
i only found out about the bombing now in moscow and so very sorry for the russians,what a way to die and knowing that someone blew up innocent people and themselves. i was talking to a guy from north africa,even he is embarassed about people abusing his religion... who does want peace????
"notice how all these terrorist attacks are occuring in countries which are involved in some sort of occupation and/or oppression." Notice how all these terrorist attacks are perpetrated by fringe groups who are trying to get independence for a region. These loonies get the idea that they want to self-govern, start attacking others, and then get the snot beat out of them -- so you can refer to them as "occupied and oppressed."
Several people have roundly attacked the second talk back on this list. Unfortunately, he was being sarcastic and it doesn't work on the Internet. Just like irony doesn't work. Something about the lack of voice tone or facial expression may be the key. Chag Sameach everryone.
Horrible terror attack yes and the Russians get my sympathy BUT this different to the 'terrorism' in the ME but it is caused by the same formula: Oppresion. Russian/Chechnyan terrorism is not equal to Israel/ME 'terrorism' Of course this could also be seen Bibi kissing up to Russia to hint that it doesn't have to cosy up to the US anymore.
We'll leave aside the detail that the objection is to the Russians being in Chechnya, not to their religion. Yesterday, it was reported that the 'Lords Liberation Army' had slaughtered 'at least several hundred' villagers in a rampage through the Eastern Congo. In the United States, the FBI arrested seven members of a right-wing Christian militia under anti-terrorism laws. Presumably, they had decided the end times were upon us, and were planning to begin acting accordingly. Then too, back a month of so ago, the Knesset openly honored Jewish terrorists that were hung by the British. Why am I confident none of the protestors objecting to today's news objected to that? Isn't the outrage a little selective? ETA, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, the IRA, the Sendero Luminoso, FARC, The above-mentioned Lords Liberation Army, Kach, the JDL, that Japanese group... They kind of all glide by. But a Muslim attack anywhere, and we can be sure to hear all about it.
This has nothing to do with Islam, and has everything to do with Russiam behaviour in Chechnya. While I strongly condemn what has happened in Moscow, notice how all these terrorist attacks are occuring in countries which are involved in some sort of occupation and/or oppression. While it is detrimental to the cause of all these people, be they from Chechnya, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, as it is deadly to the innocent people who they target, the fact is that this is the only way they can strike at their oppressors, at least in their mind. Which is not to say that they are right. It should be more prudent to find the cause of this kind of behaviour, instead of being anti-Islamic. Just like you hate it when someone is anti-Jewish, so does billion or so Muslims hate it when someone dumps all of them into extremist camp. Wish not onto other, what you wouldn't wish on yourself.
The enemy of my enemy is my FRIEND!
perhaps the wrong time to bring this up but surely russia should not be helping the terrorists in iran build nukes. they are on russia's southern borders.shortsighted to help madmen who also happen to be neighbours.
Doesn't anyome understand that #2 was being sarcastic.
I believe Russia must withdraw from all occupied Islamic territories to internationally recognized borders. The occupation is corrupting our national soul. These are acts of desperation. The people are oppressed. There is no military solution, only a diplomatic one.
before they sell arms to Muslims.
In 2006 Pope Benedict gave a lecture wherein he stated a quote that Islam had been spread by violence. While one part of the Islamic community were claiming that the comment was untrue and offensive, another part were rioting, firebombing churches, burning effigies and crosses, and assassinating Christians.
Lots of jumping to conclusions. The Russians do have some investigators. And it seems they have a working theory. Aaron - Russia got booted out of Afghanistan back when it was the USSR. Why would they want to go back? Do you think the US would like another war in Vietnam?
in ways of English language that require some practice. In fact if you practice English long enough, you will find its infinite ways of playing with words, even when it is deadly serious, including ( for example ) combination of words 'Lubianka' and 'Park Cultury' that requires in turn practice in Russian language and history beyond ordinary foreigner's intention to succeed at a highly paid job at the desk.
Moscow will know exactly how to deal with this problem without fear of being judged and condemned by European post-moderns, multiculturalists Obama worshippers and leftwing Jews. After all self-defense against Islamic terror is only a crime when exercised by Israelis.
Islam means not "peace", but "submission". Keep your lies for yourself.
AS, have you ever read Coran? I read it and it was mainly about war, revenge, killings, threats and deception towards nonmuslims. This ever present ?God is Merciful? is a mislead only. And how it comes islam being about peace when you contradict yourself in the same sentence: ?Islam is the relgion of peace and anyone who dares challenge the religion of peace will be killed?. You actually threaten with death those who might critise violences condoned or preached by Islam.
Of course, let's completely forget the 80s when Red Army fought against those "islamofascist" and you filled them with weapons and stingers. more than 10 thousands russian soldiers killed by your money and now you want them to share again the same ill-fated NATO war. You are an hypocrite and you don't know anything about Russia continuing war against radical islam in the North Caucasus, so I remember you that FSB and the russian army have lost 500 servicemen last year in these fights. Try to inform yourself
Adolf Hitler?s book ?Mein Kampf? (My Struggle) has been recognized as extremist literature by a Russian court and will be banned in Russia. Maybe Neo-Nazis did it as a reply. Or could be the Muslim extremists. Or possibly the mossad, trying to pressure Russia to stop its support for Iran.
....they better stop it or whatever it is they are doing to oppress whomever it is that is doing this "resisting"--you let anarchy out of the genie bottle, just try stuffing it back in.....
An accurate observation.
If it is the religion of peace,how can you possibly threaten to murder someone who critisizes it.Contradictory,don't you think? Just think if the jewish people behaved in this way,they would have to murder millions every year.
to all Russians ; The deal your government is closing with the Iranians is worth far more then your safety ! they are not serious at all with fighting terrorism. when everybody is bashing the US and Israel over collateral damage this is also one many governments accept.......in making their scamy deals Although cynical i feel for the victims.
dont u dare malign islam. it is the relgion of peace. anyone who dares challenge the religion of peace will be killed.
The Russian government has not been very active in the fight against Islamic extremism: they have armed one Chechen Muslim militia to take on the the more rebellious one, haven't partipated greatly in the fight against Taleban in Afghanistan, and have continued shipping weapons to regimes like Iran. Now they are seeing just how grateful the Islamofascists are for those favours... not at all.