Reply #3: Putin points the finger in the wrong direction

[HuckleB]

Putin points the finger in the wrong direction

Despite President Vladimir Putin's assertions to the contrary, Russia's latest wave of terror attacks has little, if anything, to do with al-Qaeda. But it has everything to do with Mr Putin's disastrous policy in the north Caucasus
http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3150096

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All this was enough for Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, to call the latest statements attributed to the group “a fact confirming the link between certain forces operating in Chechnya and international terrorism.”

That is a flimsy claim at best. Though there has been evidence of al-Qaeda links to some Chechen terrorists, the American State Department’s annual “Patterns of Global Terrorism”, considered a standard reference, has never made any reference to the Islambouli Brigades.

In fact, the only signs that the group exists are three internet statements, of unconfirmed provenance, made in its name. Moreover, the attacks in Russia, like several previous ones to which no outside group lays claim, were carried out by young Chechen women. Many of these so-called “black widows” have lost family members in the conflict. For instance, it has emerged that the suspected suicide bomber on one of the planes had a brother who disappeared after being detained by Russian forces.

Though the identities of the bombers suggest the recent attacks have much to do with Russia’s policy in Chechnya and little to do with global terrorism, the leaders of France and Germany had nevertheless been warmly supportive of Mr Putin when they joined him for a press conference on Tuesday, hours before the metro bombing. “In Chechnya, a political solution is essential,” said President Jacques Chirac. “That is what Russia is striving for. It is completely open to any discussions about a political solution.”

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