The mastermind of the Beslan School massacre, the Moscow Theatre Massacre and numerous other terrorist attacks, Shamil Baseyev, now admits to leading the attack on Nalchik last week.
According to Russia’s Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, militants posing as civilians had launched their attack from inside the city.
This is in contrast to past operations like last year’s attack on a school in Beslan, when fighters arrived in lorries.
In his statement on the Kavkaz Center website, which was couched in Islamic terms, Shamil Basayev said that 217 “mujahideen” had attacked Nalchik, targeting police stations and military installations as well as the airport.
“I had general, operational command,” he said, adding that the attack was led on the ground by a commander codenamed Seyfullakh from the Caucasus Front – one of six “fronts” designated by Chechen rebels for fighting Russia.
Basayev, who claimed the attack on the Beslan school last year as well as a string of other deadly raids, said the Nalchik operation had been a “great success because our dead are in Paradise and theirs in Hell”.
Rumors last week that Baseyev was killed in the Nalchik fighting turned out to be false.
Earlier Posts on Shamil Basayev:
Chechen Terrorist Practice Video Found
Human Rights Packs a Punch
Russia Furious Over ABC’s Basayev Interview
Russia Still Outraged at ABC & “Nightline”
Russia Bans ABC TV!
Terrorist Basayev Rejoins Chechen Cabinet
Chechen Terrorists Attack City, Airport; Hostages Taken!
Basayev, Dead or Alive?
