Shamil Basayev

Shamil Salmanovich Basayev (Russian: ?????? ?????????? ??????) (born January 14, 1965) is a Chechen leading an armed group acting in the north Caucasus region of Russia, principally in Chechnya. Although some call him a "separatist" for his goal of achieving independence from Russia, many call him a "terrorist" for his intentional killing of unarmed civilians, including women and children. Since 2003, Basayev has also used the pseudonym and title Abdallah Shamil Abu-Idris, "Amir of the Brigade of Shahids 'Riyadus Salihiin'".

Basayev in the Second Chechen War

In August and September 1999, Basayev and Ibn-ul-Khattab led a small army (some sources claim up to 2000 strong) of Islamic fundamentalists in an unsuccessful attempt to take over the neighboring Republic of Dagestan and establish a new Chechen-Dagestan Islamic republic (with a later invasion of Ingushetia planned as well). At the same time, a series of bombings of Russian apartment blocks took place, killing 293 people. The attacks were blamed on Chechen terrorists, although this attribution remains controversial and has been denied by Basayev. The Russian government blamed the Chechen government for allowing Basayev to use Chechnya as a base. Chechen president Aslan Maskhadov denied any involvement in the attacks. This may well have been the case - his government had only a shaky grip on much of its territory - but it was disbelieved by the Russians. The Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin, promised a harsh crackdown on Chechen separatists: "We'll get them anywhere. If we find terrorists in the shithouse, then we'll blast them in the shithouse. That's all there is to it." Putin kept his promise; by the end of September the Second Chechen War was underway.

Related Topics:
1999 - Ibn-ul-Khattab - Dagestan - Ingushetia - Bombings of Russian apartment blocks - Vladimir Putin - Second Chechen War

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During the rebel withdrawal from Grozny in January 2000 Basayev lost a foot after stepping on a landmine. Somewhat morbidly, the operation to amputate his foot was videotaped and later televised by Russia's NTV network and Reuters, showing his foot being removed by doctors using a local anaesthetic while the shaven-headed Basayev watched impassively. Despite this injury, Basayev eluded Russian capture together with other rebels by hiding in forests and mountains. He welcomed assistance from Islamist groups including the Taleban of Afghanistan and encouraged foreign fighters to join the Chechen cause. Basayev's father Salman was reportedly killed by the Russians in January 2002. http://www.watchdog.cz/index.php?show=000000-000008-000001-000093&lang=1

Related Topics:
Grozny - 2000 - Landmine - Reuters - Anaesthetic - Islamist - Taleban - Afghanistan - January 2002

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Around November 2, 2002 Basayev said on a rebel website that he was responsible for the Moscow theatre siege. He also tendered his resignation from all posts in Maskhadov's rebel organisation, apart from the reconnaissance and sabotage battalion. He defended the operation but asked Maskhadov for forgiveness for not informing him of it.

Related Topics:
November 2 - 2002 - Moscow theatre siege

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In 2004 he was accused of commanding a raid on the Russian republic of Ingushetia. In fact, he was shown in a video made of the raid, in which he led an army of 570 militants. Around 90 people died in this attack. On May 9, 2004 the pro-Russian Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov was killed in a bomb attack for which Basayev later claimed responsibility.

Related Topics:
2004 - Ingushetia - May 9 - Akhmad Kadyrov

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The Russian government has accused him of being responsible for the Beslan school massacre in September 2004 in which over 350 people, many of them children, were killed and hundreds more injured. It has announced a reward of 300m roubles ($10m) for information leading to his capture. Baseyev himself did not participate directly in the seizure of the school in Beslan - he was not among the hostage-takers, all but one of whom were killed. On September 17, he issued a statement claiming responsibility for the Beslan massacre. Newspaper reports have also linked his Ingush deputy, Magomet Yevloyev, to the school attack. Maskhadov has been named as well by Russian government officials, but most western observers seem to think Maskhadov's denouncement was sincere.

Related Topics:
Beslan school massacre - Rouble - Beslan - September 17 - Magomet Yevloyev

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Basayev also claimed responsibility for the attacks against civilians during the previous week, in which a metro station in Moscow was bombed, killing ten people, and two airliners were apparently blown up by suicide bombers, killing 89 people. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200409/s1201684.htm

Related Topics:
Civilian - Metro - Moscow - Two airliners - Suicide bomber

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On February 3, 2005, British Channel 4 announced that it will air Shamil Basayev's interview. In response Russian Foreign Ministry said that the broadcast could aid terrorists in achieving their goals and demanded that the British Government call off the broadcast. But the British Foreign Office replied that it can not intervene in affairs of a private TV channel and the interview was aired as scheduled.

Related Topics:
February 3 - 2005 - Channel 4

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http://www.channel4.com/news/2005/02/week_1/03_basayev.html

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The same day, February 3, 2005, Russian media reported that Shamil Basayev has been killed. It was the 6th such report about Basayev's "death" since 1999.

Related Topics:
February 3 - 2005

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On August 2, 2005, Moscow banned journalists from U.S. television channel ABC from working in Russia after the channel broadcast an interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev.

Related Topics:
August 2 - 2005

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http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/08/02/russia.abc.reut/index.html

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