Date: 9/10/2004
Chechen rebels trained in Pakistan: Russia
http://newsinsight.net/nati2.asp?recno=2924&ctg=
3 September 2004: Russia has found new evidence of Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda cadres having links with Chechen terrorists operating in the southern Caucasus region.
Russia’s security service, the Federal Security Bureau, has traced money-laundering activities of two Chechen rebels who have frequently visited Karachi from Bangkok.
Russia has a direct air service to Bangkok, while PIA operates from Bangkok to Karachi.
Diplomats said that the two Chechen rebels, Askamadov Islam and Ijaz Turkyoduv, are the main conduits for receiving funds and are principal recruiters of hardcore Chechen terrorists.
Nearly twenty per cent of Chechen rebels now under Russian military custody have admitted that they were based in the FATA tribal areas of Pakistan since the Taliban were ousted from Afghanistan.
A diplomat said that Russian president Vladmir Putin could designate a special envoy to visit Pakistan in the middle of this month to convey Russia’s concern about the growing nexus between the Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda and Chechen rebels.
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