Deadly explosions on Moscow Metro system

[desiman]

Pakistan roots to Moscow attack?


By Syed Saleem Shahzad

ISLAMABAD - Monday's twin suicide attacks by female bombers in the Moscow metro system in which at least 38 people were killed and 64 injured were most likely planned and executed by people trained in Pakistan's tribal areas.

The head of the Federal Security Service (FSB - formerly the KGB), under whose headquarters the attacks took place, immediately pointed a finger at insurgents linked to the North Caucasus, saying the assumption was based partly on fragments of the suicide bombers' bodies.

"Our preliminary theory is that these terrorist attacks were carried out by terror groups linked to the North Caucasus region," Aleksandr Bortnikov said in reference to Muslim rebels waging a war of independence in Chechnya, a semi-autonomous region in the Russian Federation.

Russia last year declared an end to counter-terrorism operations in Chechnya that had been ongoing for over a decade, but confidence in that declaration has been shaken by a recent spike in violence, reports RFE/RL's Russian Service.

Well-placed contacts within jihadi circles confirm to Asia Times Online that the attackers were in all probability from the North Caucasus, but add that they could have been trained in Pakistan as part of a broad plan that al-Qaeda has been working on for many years - to stir unrest across Central Asia. The insiders who spoke to Asia Times Online point out that Monday's attack could signal a new salvo in this battle. The last metro attacks in Moscow were in 2004, when 40 people were killed in two separate incidents.

The al-Qaeda vision is to use the separatist struggle in Chechnya as a rallying point for a broader fight against Russia and its allies in Central Asia. In this new war it is envisaged that Chechens will be joined by, among others, ethnic communities of Uzbeks, Uyghurs and Tajiks under one front to establish an Islamic emirate of Khurasan.

As top al-Qaeda ideologues see it, the map of ancient Khurasan (comprising the present Central Asian republics, parts of Afghanistan, parts of Iran and parts of Pakistan) would be revived. Victory here would then lead to the "end-of-time battles" in the Middle East.

Seeds planted in Afghanistan
Preparations for Khurasan began in the late 1990s in Afghanistan when Taliban leader Mullah Omar provided refuge to fighters from Central Asian Islamic movements in Uzbekistan, Chechnya and Tajikistan. Militants from the East Turkestan Islamic Movement were also accepted. This is an Uyghur organization that advocates the creation of an independent Islamic state of East Turkestan in what is currently the Xinjiang region of China.

Initially, these groups tried to fight their wars of liberation from bases in Afghanistan, but al-Qaeda worked hard to convince them of the need for a joint strategy throughout Central Asia. In the "war and terror" years after the Taliban were thrown from power by the United States-led invasion of 2001, thousands of Central Asian militants gathered in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, but their participation in the Afghan resistance was minimal.

This became a serious point of friction between Taliban commander Haji Nazeer and Uzbek militants who had settled in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal area. The discord turned bloody in 2007 when Nazeer's men killed hundreds of Uzbek militants. The Uzbeks, with about 2,500 fighters, were the largest group of foreign militants in the area.

Although the Taliban were upset that these militants were not pulling their weight in Afghanistan, it was impressed on them by al-Qaeda that bigger things were planned for the foreigners.

Asia Times Online has written how control of all foreign fighters in North Waziristan and South Waziristan was generally in the hands of Arabs, who are astute and trained commanders. (See The Pakistani road to German terror Asia Times Online, September 7, 2007.) For example, Abu Nasir commands the Uyghurs and Pakistanis; Abu Akash looks after the Uzbeks and Tajiks while Abu Hanifah takes care of Turkish Kurds, Bosnians and Chechens.

After 2007, foreign fighters began to arrive in Pakistan in increasing numbers as al-Qaeda had consolidated its position in the tribal border areas. Most of the jihadis came from Turkey, where there are large Chechen and Uzbek communities.

After mid-2009, the fighters were able to travel through Iran as al-Qaeda struck a deal with the Iranian Jundallah militant group to allow them transit through restive Sistan-Balochistan province in the southwest. The fighters were also able to return via the same route.

Conceivably, this was the route taken by Monday's suicide bombers after receiving training in the al-Qaeda camps that dot the border areas.

Syed Saleem Shahzad is Asia Times Online's Pakistan Bureau Chief. He is writing an exclusive account of al-Qaeda's strategy and ideology in an upcoming book 9/11 and beyond: The One Thousand and One Night Tales of Al-Qaeda. He can be reached at saleem_shahzad2002@yahoo.com

 

[ARCHON]

Will it lead to the second coming of the mighty russians to the region.. If yes then US and Pakistan wont be able to do what they did in afghan war , this time for sure.

Terrorists will have to and will be defeated worldwide..(in whatever forms)

 

[IMADreamer]

The Moscow Metro bombings may have a Pakistan connection, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as security experts warned of more terrorist attacks.

Mr. Lavrov suggested that militants operating on the Afghan-Pakistan border may have helped organise the Moscow attacks.

The death toll in Monday's suicide bombing of two Moscow subway stations rose to 39 as a woman wounded in the attack died in hospital on Tuesday. Five victims remain in critical condition and more than 70 in hospital.

“We all know very well that clandestine terrorists are very active in ‘no man's land' on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Mr. Lavrov on the sidelines of a Foreign Ministers meeting of Arctic states in Canada.

“It is there many terrorist attacks carried out not only in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries, but also in Central Asia and as far as the Caucasus, have been prepared.”
Mr. Lavrov called for closer coordination of international efforts to tract down terrorists and their sources of finance. “It is a global terrorist network and it should be combated globally on the basis of U.N. and other international decisions,” he said.

In the past two months, Russian security services killed two Al-Qaeda emissaries — both of Arab origin — in the entourage of Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov, who proclaimed himself “Emir of the Caucasus” .

Experts did not rule out more terror strikes in Moscow and other Russian cities. Investigation sources told the Kommersant daily that about 30 suicide bombers had recently been trained in Turkey and in North Caucasus. Nine of them have already carried out their missions, including two women suicide bombers who staged Monday's twin attacks. Experts recall that the deadliest bombing of the Moscow Metro in February 2004, which killed 41 people, was followed by a series of suicide attacks in Moscow over the next few months that included the downing of two passenger planes and a bomb blast outside a subway station. The 2004 wave of terror culminated with the seizure of a school in North Ossetia, in which 334 hostages died, including 186 children.
The Hindu : News / International : Blasts may have Pakistan link: Moscow


i don't think this will be true but if this is true then i think this will be not a good news for a country who has already lot's of problem both enternaly as wel externally

@mod: this was related to specific related to pakistan that's why i created a new thread if you think you can mearge it with existing Moscow bombing thread.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Truly a Despicable Act by the cowards once again. I am sure the Russians will bring these terrorists to justice, I have no doubts.

One thing I would like to say here is that, right after 911 Everyone joined in condemning the act, and hell even Pakistan joined the US to fight the Al Qaeda and Taliban. No one spoke of Palestine, or Iraq or whatever, everyone just mimicked Uncle Sams thoughts. But here, when Russians are killed in cold blooded in the most horrendous of ways, We have Pakistanis say, Chechnya this, Chechnya that, and Russian Army this, Russian Army that! Why dont you all dare say it again the US Army? They killed more Muslims than Russians ever can or ever will!!! Why so? Because you will be picked up by CIA and shifted to Gitmo. The Bear doesnt do that, yet its a villain, maybe it should act like Uncle Sam, then only some folks will atleast shut their mouths and stop spewing BS and hate!! Hypocricy at its best!!! God Speed

What planet have you been on?

There has been plenty of criticism of the US military over incidents incidents like Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and collateral damage from bombings. People have not shied away one bit from critiquing the US military when they have believed it violated human rights.

However, the US has done nothing in the recent past that compares to what the Russians did in Grozny (Chechnya). There is a difference between rogue soldiers acting in violation of stated policy (and being held accountable) and accidental civilian casualties, and what appears to be a deliberate policy on the part of the Russian State to punish the civilian population of Chechnya, and kill indiscriminately to eliminate the separatists.

And speaking of Indians yelling 'hypocrisy' and supporting Russia's 'Genghis Khan' policies, I suppose this means that you should have no qualms with the methods used by the PA in 1971 either, should you?

Now who is the hypocrite.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Experts did not rule out more terror strikes in Moscow and other Russian cities. Investigation sources told the Kommersant daily that about 30 suicide bombers had recently been trained in Turkey and in North Caucasus. Nine of them have already carried out their missions, including two women suicide bombers who staged Monday's twin attacks.

Apparently the Foreign Minister was ignorant of (or deliberately lied) what 'investigation sources' believe to be the origins of the bombers.

I don't see Pakistan in there anywhere, do you?

 

[gubbi]

However, the US has done nothing in the recent past that compares to what the Russians did in Grozny (Chechnya). There is a difference between rogue soldiers acting in violation of stated policy (and being held accountable) and accidental civilian casualties, and what appears to be a deliberate policy on the part of the Russian State to punish the civilian population of Chechnya, and kill indiscriminately to eliminate the separatists.
I suppose this means that you should have no qualms with the methods used by the PA in 1971 either, should you?

So the authorities have a moral obligation of targeting only the terrorists, only if they happen to see arms on them, while its perfectly reasonable for the militants to randomly attack innocents who are in no way connected to any war, en masse?
Speaking of qualms, you quote the example of PA in '71. SO was all that isolated incidents or was it a state policy? Anyhow, you do understand that it was YOUR internal problem and either way west Pak was screwed?

And speaking of Indians yelling 'hypocrisy' and supporting Russia's 'Genghis Khan' policies,
Now who is the hypocrite.

What about your support of Sri Lankan policies against the Tamil minorities and the terrorist LTTE? or the Chinese policies against the Tibetans, Democratic movements or the Ughirs?

Cherry picking, are we?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

So the authorities have a moral obligation of targeting only the terrorists, only if they happen to see arms on them, while its perfectly reasonable for the militants to randomly attack innocents who are in no way connected to any war, en masse?

Yes, the authorities, if they seek to claim to be any different than the terrorists, have a moral obligation to target only combatants, and the Russian (and before that Soviet) policy has been to indiscriminately target whoever they please, in multiple theaters of conflict.

Speaking of qualms, you quote the example of PA in '71. SO was all that isolated incidents or was it a state policy? Anyhow, you do understand that it was YOUR internal problem and either way west Pak was screwed?

Do you see any support for what the PA did in 1971 on this forum aside from fringe elements?

And I do believe that a large majority of Pakistanis have unequivocally argued against the sorts of policies you support, of indiscriminately targeting combatants and non-combatants alike, in Pakistan's own war against terrorism.

But the reason for dredging up 1971 was not to discuss it, but to only point out the hypocrisy of Indians in criticizing the PA for what it did in 1971, while unashamedly supporting similar policies by the Russians, and elsewhere.

What about your support of Sri Lankan policies against the Tamil minorities and the terrorist LTTE?

Cherry picking, are we?

What about our support? Or my support to be specific since the issue has not really been discussed (not that I have participated in at least) that much on this forum? Have I supported the indiscriminate killing of noncombatants in Sri Lanka? Has Pakistan supported the indiscriminate killing of non-combatants in Sri Lanka?

 

[IMADreamer]

Apparently the Foreign Minister was ignorant of (or deliberately lied) what 'investigation sources' believe to be the origins of the bombers.

I don't see Pakistan in there anywhere, do you?

The Moscow Metro bombings may have a Pakistan connection, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as security experts warned of more terrorist attacks.

Mr. Lavrov suggested that militants operating on the Afghan-Pakistan border may have helped organise the Moscow attacks.

report clearly mention pakistan name you can check youself you just pinpoint diffrent part of a artical and ignore russian FM statement.and most important it was said by a Russian FM not any any other country spoke-person
so i think he should be more knowledgeable than me or you.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Will it lead to the second coming of the mighty russians to the region.. If yes then US and Pakistan wont be able to do what they did in afghan war , this time for sure.

Terrorists will have to and will be defeated worldwide..(in whatever forms)

Are they going to be providing troops to operate with NATO and support NATO policies for Afgahn stabilization, or repeating their past actions of strafing innocent men, women and children in Afghan villages and towns with gunships?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

The Moscow Metro bombings may have a Pakistan connection, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as security experts warned of more terrorist attacks.

Mr. Lavrov suggested that militants operating on the Afghan-Pakistan border may have helped organise the Moscow attacks.

report clearly mention pakistan name you can check youself you just pinpoint diffrent part of a artical and ignore russian FM statement.and most important it was said by a Russian FM not any any other country spoke-person
so i think he should be more knowledgeable than me or you.

He is indeed more knowledgeable, which is why he said 'may' i.e he is speculating. Even a half wit can speculate.

The part I quoted provided more specifics than the Russian FM's 'speculation' hence my focus on it.

 

[IMADreamer]

He is indeed more knowledgeable, which is why he said 'may' i.e he is speculating. Even a half wit can speculate.

The part I quoted provided more specifics than the Russian FM's 'speculation' hence my focus on it.

agreed with your point.

but i thing any country should be worried if any other country FM just speculate involvement in case of bombing that's why i said he mention pakistan.anyway leave it understnad your point.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

agreed with your point.

but i thing any country should be worried is any other country FM just speculate involvement in case of bombing that's why i said he mention pakistan.anyway leave it understnad your point.

Russian has just signed contracts worth billions with India, and will likely do so in the future.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what Russia is trying to do, but in the end PR statements are not going to make a difference. The Russians suffered in Afghanistan once, they won't go back unless there is good cause and a plan for action, and given the difficulties NATO has had (with far more resources combined than Russia) I doubt the Russians will repeat their folly of the past.

 

[prototype]

Russian has just signed contracts worth billions with India, and will likely do so in the future.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what Russia is trying to do, but in the end PR statements are not going to make a difference. The Russians suffered in Afghanistan once, they won't go back unless there is good cause and a plan for action, and given the difficulties NATO has had (with far more resources combined than Russia) I doubt the Russians will repeat their folly of the past.

russia signed billions of $ worth contracts and will continue to do so,so what?

what can we do if u consider everything happening under the earth as a conspiracy against u done by india

in other threads i have seen often pakistani members saying,indians lose grounds,india lose relations,india crashed,pakistan making strides,we r centre of the world,the world need us

and then just brag abt the conspiracy of other nations against india for just the sake of $$ lying here

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

russia signed billions of $ worth contracts and will continue to do so,so what?

what can we do if u consider everything happening under the earth as a conspiracy against u done by india

in other threads i have seen often pakistani members saying,indians lose grounds,india lose relations,india crashed,pakistan making strides,we r centre of the world,the world need us

and then just brag abt the conspiracy of other nations against india for just the sake of $$ lying here

When the Russian foreign minister himself airs irresponsible speculative comments dragging in another nation thousands of miles away, why should we hold back on speculating on his motives?

 

[IMADreamer]

Russian has just signed contracts worth billions with India, and will likely do so in the future.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what Russia is trying to do, but in the end PR statements are not going to make a difference.

comon sir it was not expected from you.you can counter it with much better argument than this i m reading your post from last 2 yrs. so defenatly atleast i can say this that you are much more knowledgeable,respectable and deserve much bettar than this stupid argument.
it does't suites your standard sir you are much much better than zaid hamid.

The Russians suffered in Afghanistan once, they won't go back unless there is good cause and a plan for action, and given the difficulties NATO has had (with far more resources combined than Russia) I doubt the Russians will repeat their folly of the past.

fully agreed with this but also i don't think no country have such a intention too.