Chechnya

Anna Politkovskaya is one of Russia's most respected journalists, writing for the Moscow paper Novaya Gazeta. In February 2001 she travelled deep into Chechnya to investigate reports of torture, rape and detention camps run by the Russian army. If there were any doubts about the veracity of the shocking stories she heard, they vanished when she was herself detained by Russian troops. An official of the FSB – the successor to the KGB – a first lieutenant of tender age, whispered dirty insults in my ear: »You are one of them ... You should be shot ...«

Maybe the dramatic hostage taking will spark a furious Russian retaliation in Chechnya. The attack on the Moscow theatre will heat the blood of the hardliners.

Did the substantial financing needed for such an operation come from abroad? Barayev's team were equipped with satellite phones, enabling them to call the Reuters news agency in Ankara, Turkey, late on Friday night. They repeatedly mentioned
Shamil Basayev, one of the more radical Chechen warlords.

History of Chechnya:

Chechnya is an independent republic located in the middle of the Caucasus Mountains. This land has always been populated by ancient Shemite people, descendants of Shem, who have been invaded, throughout the centuries, by people of different races. The neighbouring republics (to the north, south, east, and west) are very similar ethnically to Chechnya. These people living in the Caucasus Mountains are not the same as the Russian people. During Russia's quest for
national expansion, Russia desired the lands in the Caucasus region and fought against and conquered the people in the mountainous areas.
These people fought back for their independence and freedom. Unfortunately, mother Russia was too strong, and she conquered and controlled these people...

THINK ABOUT IT!!!

Chechnya, which is mainly Muslim, declared its independence from Russia in 1991 and has fought two wars with Russia since then, including the current three-year-old struggle. Chechnya wants to form an independent Islamic republic.