Chechnya: news | arguments | facts
14 February 2007 NAC may consider another amnesty in NCaucasus - FSB official
Russia's National Antiterrorist Committee may consider another amnesty in the North Caucasus if need be, Deputy NAC chairman, Deputy Director of the Federal Security Service Vladimir Bulavin said on Thursday.
"In the course of the amnesty which ended on January 15, 546 gunmen turned themselves in to police, including 470 in Chechnya," Bulavin said answering an Itar-Tass question.
"They surrendered 70 assault rifles and machine guns, 14 homemade bombs and 30 kilograms of explosives. Among those who sought amnesty were gang leaders, including relatives of separatist leaders Saidulayev and Umarov," he said.
Commenting on the results of the amnesty, the NAC deputy chairman underlined that it was another move toward stabilizing the situation in the North Caucasus; a step to meet halfway those who do not wish to shed their own and others' blood, who wish to live under the laws of this country.
An active role in implementing the State Duma resolution on amnesty was played by the FSB, the Interior Ministry, the Emergency Situations Ministry, the Prosecutor General's Office and presidential envoy to the southern federal district Dmitry Kozak.
In the course of the amnesty, thousands of meetings were held with elders, clerics, and militants' relatives, and 700,000 leaflets explaining the terms of amnesty were published.
Even after the end of the amnesty, law-enforcement authorities encourage voluntary surrender.
"The way to peace isn't barred to anyone," the FSB official said.
Speaking at the NAC meeting on Tuesday, Federal Security Service Director Nikolai Patrushev said the FSB last year carried out special operations which disrupted the militants' control system and caused severe damage to their leadership.
More than 120 gunmen and emissaries of international terrorist organizations, including 35 gang leaders who operated in Chechnya and in the North Caucasus, were destroyed in 2006, he said.
Three hundred terrorist attacks were prevented in Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and the Stavropol territory last year, and 900 people were convicted for crimes involving terrorist or extremist activities in the designated period, according to Patrushev.
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14 February 2007 Chechen presidential press service denies SC secretary dismissed
The press service of Chechen President Alu Alkhanov denied some media reports about an alleged statement made by the chief of the republican presidential and governmental staff Abdulkakhir Izrailov that Secretary of the Chechen Economic and Public Security Council German Vok was dismissed by a Chechen presidential decree as of February 8.
Despite the repeated denial of rumors about the dismissal of the republican Security Council secretary, unfortunately, massive speculations on this issue continue, the press service said in a statement transmitted to Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
We reiterate with responsibility that the Chechen presidential decree on German Voks dismissal does not exist at all. Moreover, German Vok sent an office memorandum to Alkhanov for an early return from vacations and will get back to his office duties soon, the press service said.
Itar-Tass
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14 February 2007 300 terrorist attacks prevented in southern Russia in 2006 - FSB
Director of the Federal Security Service Nikolai Patrushev said 300 terrorist attacks were prevented in Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and the Stavropol territory in 2006.
Patrushev said so at the Tuesday meeting of the National Antiterrorist Committee which he chairs.
"Nine hundred people were convicted for crimes involving terrorist or extremist activities last year," Patrushev said.
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Issue 433
