Всемирный банк озабочен ростом цен на нефть, а импортирующие нефть страны, расположенные к югу от Сахары, особенно страдают от удорожания «черного золота», сказал в понедельник главный экономист банка Франсуа Буржиньон.
В августе цена нефти достигла рекордной отметки, превысив уровень $70 за баррель. В понедельник она держится вблизи уровня $65 за баррель. //Reuters

Палестинские бульдозеры в понедельник приступили к сносу синагог. В частности, снос стен пустой синагоги начался в поселении Нецарим в секторе Газа.
Ранее толпы палестинцев подожгли четыре из 19 синагог, который Израиль решил оставить на покинутой территории. Однако позднее глава Палестинской автономии Махмуд Аббас заявил, что все синагоги будут разрушены. //Ha'aretz

В Женеве в понедельник начинаются двухдневные переговоры о новой эмблеме для Международного общества Красного Креста и Красного Полумесяца.
В данный момент Женевская конвенция признает лишь две эмблемы – красный крест и красный полумесяц. Однако сейчас Красный Крест изучает возможность утверждения третьего символа, который смогут использовать страны, где неоднозначно относятся к кресту и полумесяцу – признанным символам христианской и мусульманской религий (так, в Израиле служба скорой медицинской помощи "Маген Давид Адом" использует в качестве своего символа красную звезду Давида, однако этот символ так и не был признан Женевой).
Новым символом Международного Красного Креста, скорее всего, станет красный квадрат в рамке на белом фоне, который будет назван Красным кристаллом. //BBC

МОСКВА, 1 сен - РИА "Новости". Мосгорсуд возвратил дело о запрете трансляции мультсериала "Симпсоны" на одном из телеканалов в Хамовнический суд для устранения процессуальных нарушений.

"Дело снять со слушаний и возвратить в Хамовнический суд Москвы для решения вопроса о правопреемстве третьего лица - Министерства РФ по делам печати, телерадиовещания и средств массовых коммуникаций", - сказал председательствующий судья.

Правопреемником министерства по делам печати в связи с его ликвидацией является Федеральная служба по соблюдению законодательства в сфере массовых коммуникаций.

Как передает корреспондент РИА "Новости", после судебного заседания адвокат Лариса Павлова, представляющая интересы истца, пояснила, что "фактически Мосгорсуд признал, что Хамовнический суд провел заседание неграмотно".

"Была создана новая структура, но суд не обратил на это внимание. Это говорит о том, что решение суда поверхностно", - отметила Павлова.

Вместе с тем, на процессе она обратила внимание суда на необходимость явиться в суд в качестве третьих лиц представителя государственного органа - Федеральной службы по соблюдению законодательства в сфере массовых коммуникаций и органа опеки и попечительства.

В своей жалобе, поданной в Мосгорсуд, юрист Игорь Смыков просил отменить решение Хамовнического суда.

"В жалобе я прошу Мосгорсуд отменить постановление Хамовнического суда Москвы, который отказал нам в иске - запретить показ мультсериала или хотя бы перенести показ "Симпсонов" на более позднее время", - подчеркнул Смыков.

Первого апреля Хамовнический суд Москвы отказал в иске Смыкову, который утверждал, что показ мультсериала причинил ему моральный ущерб.

"Сериал является пропагандой насилия, жестокости, наркомании и гомосексуализма", - считает он.

В своем иске Смыков просил обязать телеканал, транслирующий мультфильм, перенести его показ на более позднее время, "когда у телевизора уже не может быть детской аудитории".

"Я прошу суд обязать ответчиков ввести обязательную маркировку "для взрослых", тем самым, указав, что фильм не предназначен для детей", - сказал ранее Смыков.

Кроме того, он просил взыскать с телекомпании компенсацию морального ущерба в размере 300 тысяч рублей. Смыкову было отказано во всех пунктах иска. Дело рассматривалось в суде около трех лет, в течение которых было проведено множество различных экспертиз.

Прокуратура Мариуполя возбудила уголовное дело по факту ненадлежащего исполнения медицинскими работниками профессиональных обязанностей, что послужило причиной заражения двух и более лиц вирусом иммунодефицита. Дело возбуждено по признакам преступления, предусмотренного статей 131 часть 2 Уголовного кодекса Украины, сообщила пресс-секретарь Донецкой областной прокуратуры Ирина Анкудинова.
Поводом для возбуждения уголовного дела стало сообщение Мариупольского городского центра профилактики и борьбы со СПИДом о том, что у двоих новорожденных грудных детей выявлены антитела к ВИЧ, что свидетельствует об их заражении ВИЧ-инфекцией.
Во время доследственной проверки выяснилось, что 25 июня текущего года трем грудным детям перелили кровь инфицированного донора, которого еще за несколько дней до этого отстранили от донорства. //Интерфакс

Тверь. 31 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС-ЦЕНТР - В тверском клубе "Зебра" в среду пройдет первый чемпионат города по "пьяным" шашкам, сообщил "Интерфаксу" администратор клуба. Соревнования будут проводиться на четырех досках. Вместо шашек будут выставлены рюмки с крепкими напитками.

"Мужчины будут вести "шашечные" бои посредством рюмок с водкой (белые шашки) и виски (черные шашки). Слабому полу предлагается наливка. Вес содержимого в одной рюмке 25 грамм", - сообщили в клубе. Собеседник добавил, что "съедая" чужую шашку, игрок обязан выпить содержимое рюмок, а проигравший оплатить спиртное обоих игроков.

В ближайшее время Россия и Белоруссия выйдут на подписание документа о создании единой системы ПВО, заявил министр обороны Белоруссии Леонид Мальцев. "В ближайшее время выйдем на переговоры о создании единой ПВО России и Белоруссии", - сказал Мальцев по окончании совместных учений войск ПВО стран-участников СНГ.
Он также подтвердил, что в ближайшее время на вооружение белорусских ПВО поступит комплекс "С-300". //РИА «Новости»

Москва. 29 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Министр обороны РФ Сергей Иванов заявил, что студенты высших учебных заведений в период учебы призываться на срочную военную службу не будут.

"Я твердо заверяю, что студент любого российского вуза, частного, государственного, какого угодно, пока он студент, он служить не будет точно, сто процентов", - сказал С.Иванов в понедельник в эфире телеканала "Россия".

Великий Hовгород. 30 августа. ИHТЕРФАКС СЕВЕРО-ЗАПАД - Hовгородские спасатели сняли с козырька подъезда женщину, выбросившуюся с седьмого этажа жилого дома по улице Кочетова в Великом Hовгороде, сообщил "Интерфаксу" начальник городского управления МЧС Валерий Ярков

У 32-летней женщины зафиксированы перелом позвоночника и другие серьезные травмы. Она госпитализирована в Первую городскую больницу, где ей оказывается медицинская помощь. Врачи оценивают ее состояние как крайне тяжелое.

Москва. 30 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС-МОСКВА - По подозрению в совершении серии грабежей в Москве задержан житель Подмосковья, сообщили во вторник "Интерфаксу" в пресс-службе УВД Юго-Западного административного округа столицы.

В милиции рассказали, что в последнее время в ОВД района Ясенево стали поступать заявления от женщин о грабежах в лесопарковой зоне, причем во всех случаях грабитель был голым. Воспользовавшись испугом или растерянностью своих жертв, мужчина вырывал у них сумочки. 28 августа в лесопарке милиционеры действительно задержали голого грабителя. В милиции отметили, что задержанный в 2001 году уже был судим по статье 162 УК РФ - разбой и, что примечательно, тогда он совершал грабежи также в голом виде.

CEP20050829025001 Moscow Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Russian 28 Aug 05 p 3

[Report by Viktor Myasnikov: "Eurasian Triangle. Moscow and Beijing Invite Delhi To Join Them"]

The joint Russian-Chinese Peace Mission 2005 exercises which have just ended have perturbed a number of Western politicians. But they may be even more perturbed by a report of forthcoming joint maneuvers by the Russian, Chinese, and Indian armies. This was announced at the end of the Russian-Chinese Peace Mission 2005 maneuvers by State Duma deputy and former Russian Federation Security Council secretary Andrey Kokoshin. He said: "Holding joint Russian-Chinese-Indian exercises seems feasible in the very near future." Andrey Kokoshin said that "This becomes possible both within the framework of the Russia-India-China triangle that is forming and through the galvanization of the activity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization [SCO] which India joined recently as an observer." He believes that the exercises could be linked to the maintenance of stability in Central Asia and also to the safeguarding of the security of hydrocarbon raw materials on sea routes.
Andrey Kokoshin's words were confirmed by a high-ranking Defense Ministry general, who said that the holding of exercises similar to the Peace Mission 2005 with the participation of Russia, China, and India within the framework of the SCO is currently being studied. And although India so far only has observer status in the SCO, that does not prevent it from taking part in exercises.
India and China also held joint naval exercises in the East China Sea, not far from Shanghai, in November 2003. Three Indian Navy ships in conjunction with the Chinese Navy rehearsed search and rescue operations involving field firing. This increased the level of trust between the countries and opened up further prospects for military cooperation.

Москва. 28 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Стремление к деньгам, еще недавно всемерно порицавшееся в России, обрело, по всей видимости, определенную культурную легитимацию, утверждают в Фонде "Общественное мнение".

В результате опроса, проведенного 20 августа среди 1500 респондентов, выяснилось: 58% россиян не видят в этом ничего предосудительного и заявляют, что стремятся иметь как можно больше денег, причем среди молодежи о таком стремлении заявляют 78%.

Лишь немногим более трети респондентов (36%) говорят, что не стремятся к этому. Чаще других это люди пенсионного возраста, у которых возможности реализовать такое стремление весьма ограничены.

При этом только каждый четвертый респондент (24%) говорит, что у него есть шанс стать человеком, имеющим много денег (среди тех, кто к деньгам стремится - 32%), тогда как две трети (66%) считают, что у них подобного шанса нет.

Социологи Фонда отмечают характерную дифференциацию мнений по этому вопросу в зависимости от возраста: молодые чаще склонны усматривать для себя шанс стать людьми с деньгами, чем отрицать его (47% против 38%). В то же время среди респондентов среднего возраста только 18% считают, что такая перспектива для них не закрыта.

Казань. 27 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Президент России Владимир Путин рассказал журналистам о том, как сыграл на тотализаторе во время скачек, проводившихся в рамках празднования 1000-летия Казани.

На вопрос журналистов, удалось ли ему выиграть, президент РФ ответил: "Дважды". Он добавил, что проиграл также дважды.

Москва. 28 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Знаменитая "Берлинская месса" и другие произведения Арво Пярта впервые прозвучат в Москве 11 сентября в день 70-летия выдающегося композитора современности, сообщил "Интерфаксу" пресс-атташе концерта Игорь Лапшин.

В день 70-летия А.Пярта его музыка будет звучать в лучших концертных залах Германии, Швеции, Эстонии, Финляндии и еще многих стран.

Как заявил И.Лапшин, "предстоящий концерт - событие эпохальное, и не только в силу высочайшего художественного уровня творений юбиляра, но и в силу "ряда исторических коллизий".

"Вечная, гипнотическая музыка А.Пярта, давно уже названного классиком, музыка, являющаяся одной из самых востребованных в мире, в России звучала и звучит очень редко. Большинство творений эстонского гения остались для российских меломанов до сей поры неизвестными", - продолжил И.Лапшин.

При это пресс-атташе пояснил, что в Советском Союзе музыка А.Пярта была вообще запрещена после 1980 года, когда композитор, уроженец Эстонии, входившей тогда в состав СССР, "был изгнан с Родины - он был обвинен в религиозной пропаганде за сочинение "Кредо" ("Верую").

Махачкала. 29 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Подозреваемый в убийстве двух девочек в Каякенском районе Дагестана убит местными жителями. Об этом сообщил "Интерфаксу" в понедельник оперативный дежурный Каякенского РОВД.

"Подозреваемый в убийстве двух восьмилетних девочек 38-летний Агарза Омаров убит и сожжен в собственном доме в селении Башлыкент, - сообщил дежурный.

Две восьмилетние девочки пропали в субботу. Их могилы были обнаружены в воскресенье на земельном участке, принадлежащем жителю села Башлыкент, ранее судимому в том числе за изнасилование, А.Омарову.

После этой находки местные жители блокировали дом подозреваемого и не позволили милиции задержать или арестовать его.

В ночь на понедельник дом был сожжен вместе с хозяином.

Махачкала. 28 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Две восьмилетние девочки найдены мертвыми в селе Башлыкент Каякентского района Дагестан, сообщил в воскресенье "Интерфаксу" оперативный дежурный местного РОВД.

Девочки вышли из дома в 16:00 субботы и долго не возвращались. Вечером начались их поиски, к которым присоединилась и группа сотрудников РОВД, однако результатов они не дали.

В воскресенье утром началось прочесывание местности, и на приусадебном участке одного из домов были обнаружены две свежевырытые могилы с телами девочек. Главным подозреваемым в совершении преступления является хозяин этого домовладения.

По данным милиции, он - неоднократно судим за различные преступления, в том числе за изнасилование.

На месте преступления собралась толпа возмущенных людей. В РОВД опасаются, что сельчане устроят над подозреваемым самосуд.

Москва. 29 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС-МОСКВА - В Москве сотрудник транспортной милиции в ссоре ранил знакомую из пистолета, после этого был избит подругой потерпевшей так, что оказался в больнице.

Как сообщили в понедельник "Интерфаксу" в пресс-службе столичной прокуратуры, инцидент произошел накануне днем на пустыре недалеко от дома 18 во 2-м Леснорядском переулке.

По предварительным данным, в этом месте сотрудник Волго-Вятского управления внутренних дел на транспорте распивал спиртные напитки с двумя женщинами. В ходе внезапно вспыхнувшей ссоры милиционер несколько раз выстрелил из своего табельного пистолета и причинил сквозное ранение ноги одной из женщин. Подруга пострадавшей накинулась на обидчика, избила его и отобрала пистолет.

С переломом челюсти и травмами головы страж порядка был госпитализирован в одну из московских больниц, раненая женщина также госпитализирована.

По данному факту Мещанская межрайонная прокуратура проводит проверку, начато расследование.

Бочаров ручей (Сочи). 29 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Президент России Владимир Путин показал премьер-министру Италии Сильвио Берлускони маленького пони американской породы, которого подарил ему президент Татарстана Минтимер Шаймиев в дни празднования тысячелетия Казани.

"Назвали Вадиком", - сказал В.Путин, заметив, что подруга пони "осталась у Шаймиева".

"Будем дружить семьями", - пошутил президент.

По словам В.Путина, он намерен взять подарок президента Татарстана с собой в Москву, где Вадик будет жить в президентской резиденции в Ново-Огарево вместе с другими лошадьми.

В.Путин подчеркнул, что его любимая собака Кони очень хорошо относится к Вадику.

EUP20050826950040 Rome RAI Uno Television Network in Italian 1130 GMT 26 Aug 05

Vatican-Israel row "solved" by Sharon letter, Italian TV reports

Excerpt from report by Italian TV on 26 August

[Presenter] Ties between the State of Israel and the Vatican are friendly once again after Cardinal [Secretary of State] Angelo Sodano was delivered a personal letter by the Israeli premier, [Ariel] Sharon - who considers closed the crisis which erupted after the Pope did not mention Israel among the countries struck by terrorism.

[Reporter] During prayers in Les Combes [Alpine resort where the Pope was on holiday in July], the Pope listed the countries struck by terrorism, and did not mention Israel.

The Apostolic Nuncio [Vatican ambassador] in Jerusalem, [Pietro] Sambi, was summoned by the Foreign Ministry to hear something more than just irritation.

The reply by [the Holy See spokesman Joaquin] Navarro[-Valls] was curt: the Israeli government has distorted in a preposterous manner the words uttered by Benedict XVI. The spokesman added that not all acts of terrorism were condemned because sometimes they were followed by Israeli reactions incompatible with international law. [passage omitted]

GMP20050824017004 Istanbul CNN TURK Online WWW-Text in Turkish 1346 GMT 24 Aug 05

[Report by Ozlem Sogukdere: "Cards on Table Ahead of 3 October"]

Prior to 3 October, Turkey has taken a step not only regarding the struggle against terrorism and the Kurdish issue, but also regarding the controversial Armenian conference, at which allegations of an Armenian genocide were to be taken up.

The conference, entitled "The Ottoman Armenians During the Decline of the Empire" had been planned to be held at Bozazici University [Istanbul] on 24 May, but had then been postponed due to harsh reactions from both the government and the opposition.

But Bogazici University, issuing a statement yesterday, announced that the conference, with the same content, will be held between 23 and 25 September. But with one difference this time...

It was announced that the conference, which a few months ago had been denounced by Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, who had said "This amounts to stabbing the Turkish nation in the back", will be opened by Abdullah Gul, the Foreign Minister in the same government.

As for Minister Gul himself, he has said that he responded "yes" in principle to the invitation sent to him, and that he will determine whether or not he will take part in the conference depending on his schedule.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan has said that, during the dates when the conference is to be held, Minister Gul will be in New York for the session of the United Nations.

Copyright 2005 Moscow News
Moscow News (Russia)
August 24, 2005 By Oleg Liakhovich

Cattle-breeders in Russia's Urals will feed cows with confiscated marijuana over the cold winter months. Drug workers said they adopted the unusual form of animal husbandry after they were forced to destroy the sunflowers and maize crops that the 40 tones of marijuana had been planted among. "There is simply no other way out. You see, the fields are planted with feed crops and if we remove it all the cows will have nothing to eat," a Federal Drug Control Service spokeswoman for the Urals region of Sverdlovsk told the paper. But he stressed that he does not know what the milk will be like after such unusual fodder. Cows in Russia are traditionally fed with clover and sunflower.

While the latter is true, it is also true that hemp has been used as a livestock fodder for ages, which makes the immediately surfacing jokes somewhat lame. What is more interesting albeit hardly funny is the high chances that this latest plan will eventually put some of the happy cattle-breeders behind bars, as Russia's overstaffed and omnipresent Federal Drug Control Service has been known for its sly tactics and the frequent use of agent provocateurs and entrapments, as well as its penchant for instigating scandalous criminal cases, such as against a number of veterinarians, arrested last year for the use of ketamine for anesthesia, or raiding bookstores for dangerous "drug propaganda", i.e. books by Carlos Castaneda and Tom Wolfe. Whether or not this latest initiative on the Service's part is but another cunning plan aimed at busting more "drug dealers" remains to be seen; it would certainly correspond with their usual style - crude, dumb, and altogether ineffective. Cattle-breeders, be warned.

Televangelist Calls for Chavez' Death

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called on Monday for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling him a ``terrific danger'' to the United States.

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on ``The 700 Club'' it was the United States' duty to stop Chavez from making Venezuela a ``launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism.''

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush, accusing the United States of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

``You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it,'' Robertson said. ``It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop.''

Чемпионат по сплаву по реке на надувных резиновых женщинах пройдет в субботу в Ленинградской области

Санкт-Петербург. 23 августа. ИHТЕРФАКС СЕВЕРО-ЗАПАД - Дистанцию в 600 метров по лосевским порогам на реке Вуокса предстоит преодолеть участникам ставших уже традиционными соревнований по сплаву на надувных резиновых женщинах, говорится в сообщении организаторов соревнований.

Сплав Bubble Baba Challenge-2005 пройдет 27 августа в поселке Лосево в третий раз.

В этом году расширилась география участников экстремального заплыва -заявки на участие в соревнованиях подали более 80 человек из Петербурга, Москвы, Севастополя, Северодвинска и Архангельска. Всего ожидается участие в экстремальном сплаве около 160 спортсменов.

Победитель сплава определяется по традиционному показателю - скорости прохождения дистанции.

Президент Туркмении запретил "фанеру"

Ашхабад. 23 августа. ИНТЕРФАКС - Президент Туркмении Сапармурад Ниязов запретил использовать в стране фонограммы звуковой записи на песенно-музыкальных культурных мероприятиях, а также в телевизионных передачах. Соответствующий указ С.Ниязова подписал в минувший понедельник, сообщили "Интерфаксу" в пресс-службе главы туркменского государства.

По данным пресс-службы, использование фонограммы запрещено на всех культурных мероприятиях, организуемых в связи с государственными праздниками, передачах телевизионных каналов Генеральной дирекции туркменского телевидения, а также на всех мероприятиях, организуемых в государственных, общественных учреждениях и в местах массового посещения граждан, в том числе свадьбах и семейных торжествах.

Затронув эту тему на состоявшемся 22 августа заседании кабинета министров Туркмении, которое транслировалось по национальному телевидению, президент подчеркнул: "Эпоха независимости стала эпохой подлинного расцвета национальной культуры и искусства, поэтому сегодня как никогда необходимо защищать истинные культурные, в том числе и музыкально-песенные традиции туркменского народа от отрицательно влияющих на них чужеродных факторов".

CEP20050819025003 Moscow Rossiyskaya Gazeta in Russian 18 Aug 05 p2

[Report by Vladimir Poletayev: "Explosions Based on the Phone Call of 'Werewolves'?" -- taken from hml version of source provided by ISP]

Terrorists have precise knowledge of the movements of motor vehicles carrying policemen.

Yesterday about 1300 hours, another powerful explosion rang out in the capital of Dagestan. Four Stavropol policemen who were in a bus passing the site of the explosion were injured.

One gets the impression that the terrorists know in advance where in Makhachkala motor vehicles carrying policemen may travel. Explosions ring out both in the center of the city and on the outskirts, as happened yesterday, right at the moment when the Ministry of Internal Affairs special transport appears. Colonel Abdulmanap Musayev, the chief of the press service of the republic police department, told the Rossiyskaya Gazeta correspondent that the PAZ [Pavlovskiy Bus Plant] bus carrying 14 OMON [special-purpose police detachment] officers of the Stavropol Kray GUVD [Main Internal Affairs Directorate] was on its way to the city of Kaspiysk to help the local city department perform anti-terrorist measures -- to catch fighters. As we learned from exclusive sources, no more than 7-10 officers of the transport service and the crime police of Dagestan's Ministry of Internal Affairs knew the motor vehicle's route. Does that mean that one of their own "leaked" the information about the bus' movement to the bandits? The Internal Security Directorate is already investigating this situation. Specialists from the FSB [Federal Security Service] have also joined in. And at the prosecutor's office, a criminal file was opened based on the fact of the explosion.

CEP20050815019003 Moscow Izvestiya (Moscow Edition) in Russian 15 Aug 05 p6

[Reports by Roman Kirillov and Larisa Kallioma: "The Sister of Field Commander Doku Umarov Disappeared in Chechnya"]

In Chechnya at the end of last week, unknown persons took 45-year-old Natalya Khumadova, the sister of the well-known bandit chief, Doku Umarov, to an unknown place. Representatives of law enforcement organizations call the abduction of the family members of the bandit leaders "counter hostage seizures", which are supposedly carried out by Chechnya's militarized structures for the purpose of getting more quickly close to the bandit chiefs themselves. Meanwhile, the republic MVD [Ministry of Internal Affairs] has started an investigation into Natalya Khumadova's disappearance.

According to the information of Chechnya's law enforcement bodies, Natalya Khumadova's abduction took place on Thursday night. Unknown armed persons in camouflage uniforms entered her house No 16 on Zapadnaya Street in Urus-Martan. Threatening her with weapons, they led the woman out into the street, climbed into two automobiles, and drove out of the center of the city in an unknown direction.

The son of the sister of field commander Doku Umarov reported the abduction to the Rayon Department of Internal Affairs. Law enforcement bodies have already started an investigation into Khumadova's disappearance, but without results.

It was reported earlier that Doku Umarov's 70-year-old father, Khamad, and his wife and 6-month-old son were also taken away in May 2005 in the same way. Several months before this, armed persons sized his 43-year-old brother, Ruslan Umarov.

In regard to Natalya Khumadova's abduction, Russian civil rights defenders have already brought up Russian General Procurator Vladimir Ustinov's idea on taking the relatives of terrorists hostage.

"Although for now the circumstances of the disappearance of Umarov's sister are not known, it is possible that here we are dealing with the 'counter-hostage-seizure method'," said a representative of the civil rights center Memorial, Dmitriy Grushkin. "We believe this to be one of the most dangerous trends in Chechnya."

Meanwhile, Umarov's remaining relatives assert that "siloviki" [members of militarized agencies] came for Natalya, who are thus trying to get on the trail of the field commander or force him to surrender as Ichkerian Brigadier General Magomed Khambiyev did at one time. On an Internet site, an unnamed Umarov relative recalled the seizing of Aslan Maskhadov's sister and brothers and also told about the subsequent elimination of the leader of the separatists. This person was sure that Doku Umarov will also ignore the disappearance of his sister and not cease his subversive activities.

Russia: Avian Flu Virus Registered in Six Districts of Altay Territory

CEP20050822027040 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0812 GMT 22 Aug 05

BARNAUL, August 22 (Itar-Tass) - The chicken flu virus was registered in
nine villages of six districts in the Altai Territory, situated in southeastern
Siberia. The infection covers 42 farmsteads and one incubator station. Farmers
also disposed of 11,522 chicken.

Under "The Plan on stopping chicken flu disease", infected districts conduct
quarantine measures, explanatory work with population, door-to-door canvassing
to find out sick and dead poultry as well as carry out shooting of wild
waterfowl to investigate them for the presence of infection. The regional
branch of the Russian Ministry for Emergencies reported on Monday that the
monitoring of the epizootic situation is conducted throughout the territory.

The territorial budget appropriated five million roubles to set off losses
of population in connection with forced killing of poultry. Deputy head of the
territorial administration Vladimir Popov noted that "preventive and special
measures on arresting and localizing the disease were carried out correctly and
in good time.

This is corroborated by relatively insignificant losses of poultry
population with minimum financial losses". However, a possibility of new
flare-ups of the disease will persist till the departure of wild birds to
southern countries for wintering. Therefore, the territorial administration
banned the summer-autumn hunting for all types of waterfowl.

"If a vaccine for chicken flu is developed by the spring of the next year,
vaccination of all poultry population will be carried out," Popov emphasized.
At the same time, it is planned to create "troublesome zones" during the period
of the spring arrival of wild waterfowl in lakes, swamps and other nesting
places. This will help to cut considerably the risk of chicken flu disease.

In Popov's opinion, the territorial budget should provide for a rise in
funds for anti-epizootic measures, establishment of additional veterinary
points, improvement of laboratory diagnosing, acquisition of disinfection and
other special equipment, clothing and other means of protection.

Agriculture Watchdog: Bird Flu Identified in Russia Not Dangerous To Humans

CEP20050822027100 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1121 GMT 22 Aug 05

MOSCOW, August 22 (Itar-Tass) -- The H5N1 bird flu virus identified in a
number of regions of Siberia and in the Urals poses no risk to humans, the
deputy chief of Russia's agricultural watchdog, Yevgeny Nepoklonov has told the
media.

At the same time he remarked that under certain circumstances the virus can
mutate in the human body.

"However, at this point we can say with certainty that the identified virus
is not dangerous to humans," he said.

So far bird flu cases have affected private households.

"No cases of the disease have been registered at any of the country's large
poultry farms so far," Nepoklonov said.

He warned that in case of an outbreak of the disease at any large farm all
poultry would be destroyed.

EUP20050819044002 Budapest Nepszabadsag in Hungarian 18 Aug 05 p 3

[Editorial by Gabor Miklos: "A Provocative Remark to Hungary"]

One of the world's best-known news television channels, the Al-Jazirah has spotlighted Hungary, doing so in a very peculiar way, we are told by people who have seen and correctly understood the 48-minute broadcast.

As Nepszabadsag has already reported, a couple of individuals speaking Hungarian appeared on the program, which offers one of the most important intellectual sources for the Arab world, and propagated Nazi ideas on air. Most of the individuals in question were not named, and neither did they state what organizations they belonged to. They only stated that they liked Hitler, hated the Jews, and liked the sacred Islam war. On top of it all, Diana Bacsfi, formerly known as a neo-Arrow Cross [Hungarian Nazi] ideologist, has also made an appearance, with her name indicated. They even took the Arab television staff to what is thought to be Szalasi's grave.

The statements made in Hungarian were supplemented by Arab commentaries that informed Al-Jazirah viewers about organizations with similar views in Hungary today. Naturally, the television channel only offered information on the issue, without taking sides. The people who have analyzed the broadcast presume that the Qatar staff simply wants to produce programs stirring shocking scandals. In addition, pronounced anti-Jewish and anti-West attitudes are a part of their approach. The sacred war against the United States and Israel is a rather popular slogan for Al-Jazirah viewers. A Central European report of this kind will only reinforce their conviction.

According to the persons who spoke to Al-Jazirah, Budapest is home to an international Jewish conspiracy, and one of the ruling parties serves Zionist interests. So someone has made a provocative remark to Hungary. We have been aware all along that Nazism and terror referring to Islam are quite compatible, but we have not yet heard such an offer. I think that the individuals speaking to Al-Jazirah virtually pinpointed Hungary as an attack target on the map. They certainly knew who the people sending messages to the world through Al-Jazirah are.

EUP20050817031011 London The Independent (Internet Version-WWW) in English 17 Aug 05

[Report by Rebecca Armstrong: "Jihad: Play the Game"]

Grenades - check. Sniper rifle - check. Prayer mat - check. Gamers may be used to saving the day by taking on alien forces from another universe but a new wave of computer games are more concerned with saving the world from non-believers. With titles like Special Force and Under Siege, these games sound similar to military titles like Medal of Honour that regularly top the UK games chart for best-selling titles. Once people start playing though, it's obvious Special Force and Under Siege are very different both in quality and in content to their mainstream rivals.

Hizballah, a radical Islamic group, spent two years developing Special Force, a PC game designed to compete with games showing Arabs as enemies and Americans as triumphant heroes. Emblazoned across the cover is the invitation to: "Be a partner in the victory. Fight, resist and destroy your enemy in the name of force and victory."

Inspired by actual Hizballah missions, Special Force takes place during operations on Israeli soldiers. Players have to deal with the same conditions as real Hizballah fighters, including weather conditions, mines and the number of enemy - Israeli - troops. During training, players can practise their sniping skills on Israeli political and military figures including the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Mahmoud Rayya, an official from the Hizballah bureau, explained at the game's launch that "this game is resisting the Israeli occupation through the media". The game sold thousands of copies in Lebanon in the first two weeks after its release and has gone on to sell at least 10,000 more since.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/44914.html

A LEADING journalist from Russia yesterday spoke of the moment she was poisoned by mysterious forces as she tried to halt the Beslan school siege last year.
In a compelling talk at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Anna Politkovskaya told of how she was nearly killed during her attempt to instigate negotiations with the Chechen rebels over the crisis in North Ossetia. More than 330 people died in the siege.
Speaking through a translator, Politkovskaya, a trenchant critic of Vladimir Putin's government, described how she was flying to Rostov-on-Don when she fell unconscious.
The reporter was trying to make contact with the Chechens she knew from several years of covering the war in their homeland in an effort to open talks to halt the bloodshed at the school.
However, as Politkovskaya sipped a cup of tea she had ordered during the flight, she collapsed. Her health may be permanently damaged by the poisoning.
"I don't know exactly who tried to finish me off and I will probably never find out until the fall of the present regime," she said at the festival, which is sponsored by The Herald and the Sunday Herald.
"However, I do understand why they did it. I had realised that, with all my contacts in Chechnya, I could try and persuade Aslan Maskhadov (the deceased former leader of the Chechen rebels) to do all he could do to ensure the situation ended peacefully."
The journalist would not blame the poisoning directly on the FSB (the Russian security services) but spoke of her belief that the force benefited from the siege, and co-operated with Chechen bombings of Moscow in 1999. The bombings were used to help justify the second Chechen war.
"I ordered that cup of tea and a few minutes later I was completely knocked out," she said. "But what happened to me could not be considered a tragedy, particularly in comparison to what happened in Beslan, it was a detail in the whole affair."
She continued: "No-one has ever seriously investigated the 1999 bombings, but I am convinced that although the bombings were carried out by Chechens, they were done with the connivance of the FSB.
"There was involvement, because they were very interested in an event of that kind happening. Beslan was also very helpful to certain forces in Russia.
"It was used to the hilt by all the various security services to clamp down on the rest of society.
"And Putin used it to clamp down on the meagre democratic gains in Russia to strengthen what he calls the 'vertical ladder of power'."

CEP20050816027126 Tbilisi Chechenpress WWW-Text in Russian 1420 GMT 08 Aug 05

8 August: Seemingly hidden global processes are under way in the world against the background of the "antiterror" hysteria. But if you look carefully enough, you will see that the world is gradually polarizing.

This polarization has one interesting peculiarity - both sides are trying to attract Russia. For its part, Russia is successfully taking advantage of this. There is the so-called antiterrorist coalition and G8, on the one hand, of which Russia is a full member. On the other hand, there is the Shanghai Eight [presumably, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization], of which Russia is a member, too. Which of them will Russia prefer?

[Passage omitted: on recent developments in Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan]

George Bush has so far hoped that the honest eyes of a KGB lieutenant-colonel will not betray their eternal friendship. But the US president is unaware of how treacherous the Russian special services can be. As a result, "Pu [Russian President Vladimir Putin] has chosen Hu [Chinese leader Hu Jintao]", i.e. not his friend Bush, but the chairman of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao. What is the reason for this precipitate choice of Pu?

International news agencies reported recently that "a large-scale Russian-Chinese military exercise Peace Mission - 2005" is to be held in August.

[Passage omitted: the Russian military command said preparations for the exercise completed]

Subsequent events showed that the Americans did not think long about replying to Putin. Out of the whole arsenal, they pointed to "their friend Vladimir's" Achilles heel - Chechnya - by showing an interview with commander of the Chechen Resistance Shamil Basayev.

This retaliatory step by the Americans was aimed at demonstrating to the Kremlin ruler how shaky his position is in case Putin decides to continue to disobey "Uncle Sam".

Judging by their recent actions, the Americans have been consolidating their positions in Azerbaijan and Georgia. After the inglorious loss of Central Asia, the Caucasus is the last outpost of the US, which it will leave under no circumstances. If Putin makes haste by creating an "explosive mixture" of Russia, China, India and other Asian "tigers", the White House will not limit itself just to showing Chechen [rebel] leaders on American TV channels but will take more drastic measures. These might include, for instance, the delivery of portable air defense missile systems to the Chechen Resistance.

If you remember, it was the delivery of these missile systems that played a crucial role in the Soviet Union's defeat in Afghanistan. History may repeat itself. Especially now that only the Caucasus range separates the Americans from Chechen resistance fighters. For several hundred bucks decorated Georgian herdsmen on their omnipotent donkeys can deliver a couple of dozens of portable air defense missile systems to any of the Chechen gorges.

[Description of Source: Tbilisi Chechenpress WWW-Text in Russian -- official news agency of rebel Chechen government; located at www.chechenpress.com, -co.uk, and -.info]

KPP20050817000096 Pyongyang KCNA in English 0805 GMT 17 Aug 05
caracas, august 15 (kcna correspondent) -- an international anti-imperialist tribunal of the 16th world festival of youth and students was held in an amphitheatre in caracas on aug. 13 and 14.present at the tribunal were venezuelan president hugo chavez frias and at least 16,000 delegates of youth and students from more than 100 countries including the dprk, honorary guests to the festival and citizens in caracas.on display there were photos showing the atrocities and crimes committed by the U.S. and japanese imperialists against the korean people.the tribunal elected venezuelan vice-president jose vicente rangel presiding judge and delegates of the dprk, cuba, britain, spain, mexico, vietnam, zimbabwe and the world federation of democratic youth judges.prior to a trial, the participants viewed display of a video tape on the aggression and wars and brutal atrocities committed by the U.S. imperialists in former yugoslavia, iraq and other regions of the world.the tribunal had hearings and made a judgment on charged crimes of the imperialists who have destroyed the global peace and security and committed ceaseless actions against humanity such as economic blockade and sanctions while resorting to aggression, war and occupation in various countries.delegates of youth and students from different countries in their accusations brought to light the criminal history of the imperialists woven with aggression and wars and bitterly condemned them for the crimes against humankind.DPRK delegates made testimonies entitled "the U.S. imperialists' hostile policy toward the DPRK and their moves for isolating and stifling it are a unilateral aggressive act against a sovereign state and a crime against humanity" and "we denounce the moral vulgarity of the japanese reactionaries who work hard to beautify japan's unheard-of war crimes, distort the history and evade its responsibility for the settlement of the past." after hearing the testimonies and looking round photographic data, delegates of cuba, venezuela, ecuador and other countries said that they came to know well about the fact that the united states is the very one who divided korea and has aggravated the military tension there and about the unimaginable massacres and plunder committed by the U.S. and japanese imperialists in korea.the participants expressed full support for the cause of the korean people, chanting such slogans as "the U.S., hand off korea at once!" and "korea is one!" the venezuelan president in a speech disclosed that the bush administration has resorted to every conceivable scheme to obliterate the bolivar revolution, stressing that the venezuelan people would advance along the road of socialism, upholding the banner of independence against the U.S. and other imperialists.he called on youth and students to escalate the anti-U.S. struggle in close unity.the court passed a judgment that the bush administration should be brought to an international court, stating that all the aggression and wars, economic blockades, and terrorist acts taking place in the world at present are attributable to the U.S. imperialists.[Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp]

From Aquarius records:

NORTT Graven (Total Holocaust Records) cd 14.98
Our doomiest customer, "Rick from Thrasher", came in the other day to ask about an album he saw on www.doom-metal.com, some band called Nortt who were supposed to be amazing; so good in fact that according to that website, Nortt's label was almost justified in charging about thirty euros for their cd (an astronomical amount, like US$40)! We didn't of course have that absurdly-expensive opus, but we actually did have this, Nortt's previous album released for a much more reasonable price on a different label. And it is pretty darn good, if you're in the mood for some "Pure Depressive Black Funeral Doom Metal" as it says on the back cover. Nortt are a one-man band from Denmark in the black metal tradition (complete with corpse paint and everything), but their fuzzing, buzzing music is sloooowww and full of despairing piano intonations and distorted minor-key laments. The vocals and the guitars both sound like last breaths, dying gasps, exhalant spirits... It's a drone-hiss of massive, gothic proportions. Nortt definitely inhabit the same gloomy petrified forest as AQ-faves Skepticism!! Perhaps if you get this and it succeeds in bringing your most suicidal thoughts to the fore, you can make it through life a little longer by trying to search out that other incredibly expensive Nortt album...

Russia: Chechen Officials Say Key Dangers Unemployment, Wahhabis CEP20050815027098 Moscow Radio Rossii in Russian 1400 GMT 15 Aug 05

[Presenter] All illegal armed groups must be suppressed before parliamentary elections in Chechnya. This task has been set by chairman of the Chechen State Council Taus Dzhabrailov. [passage omitted: repeat of earlier reports]

KPP20050815000206 Seoul Yonhap in English 2248 GMT 15 Aug 05

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Yonhap) -- The United States will be watching China-Russia military exercises beginning this week, taking place for the first time amid discomfort over the two nations' growing influence in the region, a senior State Department official said Monday.

"We are watching the exercises. We will watch what happens," a senior State Department official said Monday.

"Certainly our military analysts will watch the exercises," he said.

The official said the U.S. received a briefing on the exercises.

Department spokesman Sean McCormack, at a daily briefing, said the U.S. had been "advised" about the exercises and expected they would take place "in a manner that supports the mutual goal of regional stability."

He added a note of concern, saying, "we would hope that anything that they do is not something that would be disruptive to the current atmosphere in the region."

GMP20050816700001 London Al-Hayah (Internet Version-WWW) in Arabic 16 Aug 05 [Report by Muhammad Muqaddam in Algiers: "'Salafi Group' Calls for Operations in France"]

The Algerian "Salafi Group for the Call and Combat" has appealed to its supporters to carry out terrorist operations targeting Algerian officials in France, thus confirming its rejection of the amnesty initiative announced by the authorities.

In a statement published on fundamentalist websites yesterday, it called on its activists and supporters "to hunt down these criminals in France", a reference to officials in the Algerian state. The statement urged following up their movements in France and said: "Watch them and wait for them in every road (...), in the dens of corruption and entertainment and gambling places. Wait for them outside the nightclubs and stores selling alcohol." It added: "If you cannot exterminate them, then at least wage a campaign among the Muslim community to expose and uncover them and spoil their rest."

Syria: Police Reportedly Clash With Demonstrating PKK Supporters GMP20050816619004 Istanbul NTV in Turkish 0800 GMT 16 Aug 05

A clash broke out between the supporters of the terrorist organization PKK [Workers Party of Kurdistan] and the police in Syria's Ayn al-Arab town on the Turkish-Syrian border. The Arab Human Rights Organization declared that the Syrian police intervened against a demonstration by PKK supporters who were marking the 21st anniversary of the organization's launching of armed attacks. Some 30 terrorist organization members who damaged many vehicles and shops were arrested during the clash, in which the police used tear gas. The Syrian officials, in turn, failed to issue a statement on the subject.

Radical Salafist Imam Ceases Activities Due To Pressure From French Authorities EUP20050816338004 Paris Liberation (Internet Version-WWW) in French 16 Aug 05 [Report by Jacky Durand: "The Salafist Profession of Faith of a Contested Imam"]

It is a succession of corridors, of dark rooms cluttered with cables and heat pipes. In Stains (Seine-Saint-Denis), the Al-Salam mosque is housed on the ground floor and basement of a suburban building. For the past seven years, it is in these austere surroundings that Zouhair Razgallah, 38, has delivered his sermons. Surroundings that remain silent and empty between prayers. The place is reputed to be Salafist. During the past three years at least, RG [General Intelligence] memos have reported that the Stains mosque welcomes supporters of this rigorous movement that demands an original interpretation of Islam.

Unusually for this strand of Islam, the young believers agreed to speak of their faith and practice that they see as being close to that of the salefs, the companions and successors of the Prophet. They say that the Friday prayers led by Imam Zouhair Razgallah attracted crowds of worshippers. Zouhair Razgallah listens to them, a hint of a smile behind his beard. Between the mosque and his family he has made his choice. "It will be my children," he says. The man described as the "Salafist imam" has decided to no longer preach in Stains because he fears being targeted by the Interior Ministry since Nicolas Sarkozy decreed "zero tolerance" of radical imams following the London bombings. But he wanted to explain his position to a journalist. Zouhair Razgallah argues his personal cause with the aid of the audio recording of one his most recent sermons condemning violence and a work by the Committee of the Ulemas of Saudi Arabia condemning terrorism, in the French translation.

Distinction. It all began, says Zouhair Razgallah, with an interview that appeared in the 23 July issue of Le Parisien [Paris regional daily] in which Mohamed al-Saadi, director of the Stains mosque, explained that the "imam is a Salafist." "I said that the imam was a Salafist," admits Mohamed al-Saadi finally. "I said that he did not engage in politics. I did not say he was a jihadist," added the Stains mosque director in reference to the distinction made by researchers between the Sheikhist Salafists who condemn terrorism and the murder of civilians and the Jihadist Salafists who justify the use of violence. "The difficulty lies in knowing when people may move from one tendency to another and espouse violent extremism," says one investigator.

Last Friday [ 12 August] Zouhair Razgallah went elsewhere than Stains for his prayers, he says, due to "the immense media pressure" he is under. "I try to follow a traditionalist Islam, close to that of the Prophet, with no change from its source, its bases." The message has all the hallmarks of Sheikhist Salafism, that of the faithful who use the Internet or prepaid telephone cards to consult the Saudi "Shaykhs" who advise them on the interpretation of texts, on daily life, and religious practice. But the outgoing imam avoids using the word as he knows that it makes people frightened: "Today, if you want to say that someone is a fanatic you say that he is a Salafist."

...

Intellectual baggage. Over the past year Abdel Ait Omar has been meeting with young people from the Stains mosque as part of his research for the Versailles Saint-Quenten-en Yvelines University. After his master's degree, he embarked on a thesis on "the practice of Islam in French society." "One youngster said to me: 'I am lucky to have found Islam as I saw a lot of my friends killed by drugs or in fights or hold ups.' For them Islam is often a way of breaking with a very burdensome past. They also have the feeling that by learning Arabic and embarking on a spiritual quest they will acquire the intellectual baggage they failed to obtain at school."

JPP20050816000085 Hong Kong AFP in English 0855 GMT 16 Aug 05

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Aug 16 (AFP) - Taliban militants threatened Tuesday to kill a kidnapped Lebanese engineer if his Turkish construction company fails to leave Afghanistan within 24 hours.

The engineer, Ahmed Reza, was abducted on Monday near Qalat, the capital of the restive southeastern Zabul province, local officials said.

"If the Turkish company he works for will not leave or prepare for leaving we will kill this engineer" by 12:00 pm (0730 GMT) on Wednesday, Abdul Latif Hakimi, the ousted regime's purported spokesman told AFP.

Some of Hakimi's claims have proved unreliable or exaggerated in the past.

A number of engineers working on construction projects in Afghanistan's restive south and east have been kidnapped by militants.

Hostage-takers killed a Turkish road worker in December last year in the eastern province of Kunar during an abortive rescue attempt by Afghan forces.

Italian aid worker Clementina Cantoni was kidnapped and then released by a criminal gang in the Afghan capital Kabul this May, although her abduction was not thought to have any link with Islamic militants.

Three United Nations workers were abducted from the centre of the capital, Kabul, and held for nearly a month before being released unharmed in late 2004.

As Afghanistan approaches landmark September parliamentary elections, Taliban loyalists and their Al-Qaeda allies have stepped up attacks on US and Afghan troops and softer targets such as aid and reconstruction workers.

Russian Prosecutors Confirm Madrasah Possessed Wahhabi Literature CEP20050816027029 Moscow ITAR-TASS in Russian 0740 GMT 16 Aug 05

Buguruslan (Orenburg Region), 16 August: Expert analysis has established that literature seized from a madrasah in Buguruslan last autumn is extremist in nature, the press service of the Orenburg Region prosecutor's office told Russian news agency ITAR-TASS today.

On the basis of expert findings, the Buguruslanskiy interdistrict prosecutor's office has opened a criminal case under the heading "incitement of ethnic, racial and religious hatred".

Prosecutors said that explosives and Arab and Russian literature had been found in the Al-Furkon madrasah. The books were sent for expert analysis, which took several months.

Russian Ex-Guantanamo Prisoner Reported Abducted in North Caucasus CEP20050816027035 Moscow Ekho Moskvy News Agency in Russian 0839 GMT 16 Aug 05

[No dateline, as received] Former Guantanamo prisoner Rasul Kudayev has been abducted in Nalchik [in Kabarda-Balkaria], the head of the Russian Islamic Committee, Geydar Dzhemal, has told Ekho Moskvy radio.

"People wearing balaclavas and dressed in camouflage seized Kudayev in the presence of his mother and sister and took him to an unknown destination," Dzhemal said.

"This is an example of how Latin-American-style abductions take place in this country. They are carried out without any sanction, warrant or legal grounds but at the same time are incited by the official security structures," he went on to add.

"I think that Kudayev may be subjected to torture. He is a very sick man and if he is tortured, he may not survive," Dzhemal concluded.

GROZNY. Aug 16 (Interfax-AVN) - By staging the latest series of terrorist attacks and committing other crimes across Chechnya, guerillas tried to show that they still have sufficient capabilities to destabilize the situation in the republic, Chechen Prime Minister Sergei Abramov said.

"Illegal armed groups have repeatedly threatened that this summer will be 'hot'. Tough measures that have been taken by federal forces and law enforcement agencies of the Chechen republic have helped eliminate the most odious leaders, eliminate and detain a large number of militants and thus stop them from trying to influence the situation," Abramov told Interfax by phone on Monday.

The prime minister offered his comment in response to Monday's terrorist attack in downtown Grozny and the latest events in Roshni-Chu and Vedeno.

The situation in Chechnya remains stable, Abramov said. "There is no panic among the local population," he said.

"These terrorist attacks and robbery-related assaults also suggest that illegal armed groups continue to receive plenty of money. Militants may receive some of these funds from the shadow sector of the economy," he said.

"Our information suggests that shadow wine and vodka producers alone have avoided paying more than 600 million rubles ($21.11 million) in taxes. Shadow enterprises in other sectors are also operating with certain amounts," Abramov said.

Chechen First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov was appointed to oversee the republic's crackdown on the shadow sector of the economy at a Monday government session, he said.

Russia: Chechen Leaders Explain Thinking Behind Anti-Terrorist Jihad

CEP20050816011001 Moscow Gazeta in Russian 16 Aug 05 p 2

[Nadezhda Kevorkova report: "'Wahhabists' Turn Up in Chechnya. Republic's Authorities Find Way Not To Fall Out with Saudi Arabia"]

Chechen Mufti Sultan Mirzayev [some other sources spell name as Merzoyev] and Taus Dzhabrailov, chairman of the Chechen State Council, yesterday explained to journalists at a press conference that the jihad against Wahhabites declared 4 August in the mosque in the village of Tsentoroy constitutes the "go-ahead" for conducting an operation against terrorists who will be done away with by the time of the parliamentary elections in Chechnya.
You can only stop a war with a war," Chechnya's mufti, Sultan Mirzayev declared. "Better death than endless horror.

...

Taus Dzhabrailov, assesses the strength of the gunmen themselves at 800-1,000 of which 100-150 are mercenaries from elsewhere. In the opinion of the head of the State Council no more than 10-15 persons are fighting for the freedom of Chechnya, and the rest are fighting for money. Taus Dzhabrailov rejected suspicions that the gunmen will surrender and go over to working for the Chechen police. Over five years of war, according to him, around 7,000 gunmen have laid down their arms , of which 600-700 did so this year. But over three years the forces of the Chechen police have grown by only 1,500 persons and now amount to 16,000. "So the majority of gunmen return to civilian life," said Dzhabrailov confidently, although in this civilian life what awaits them is 80 percent unemployment. He even cited a precise figure of 467,655 unemployed. Among these the gunmen are recruiting new mercenaries who fight for money. So the jihad against Wahhabites was declared in order to break this vicious circle. Certain Muslim figures have calculated that by its fatwa against the Wahhabites, Chechnya has declared war on Saudi Arabia. But Taus Dzhabrailov found an elegant formulation: "We are calling them at home not Wahhabites but Wahhabists so as to make a distinction with the religion of Saudi Arabia."

...

Dzhabrailov touched on a topic around which serious arguments have been going on since 1994 -- the number of killed. For Chechnya the question of casualties is a very important one taking account of the small population and the political aspect of mutual relations between Russia and the West. According to the head of the State Council, the total losses in the two wars are not more that 160,000, of which number 30,000-40,000 have been Chechens. At the same time rights champions, Western mass media, and gunmen cite a figure of 200,000-250,000 which amounts to a quarter of the population of the republic.
The mufti confirmed to Gazeta his readiness to fight: "For me the sharia (legislation in Islam -- Gazeta) does not forbid one to defend oneself and I will gladly shoot and hack [with a sword]." But Dzhabrailov, although not expressing an intention to participate in the jihad, said: "Those who fight against religious extremism, are the true heroes, they are the shahids and not those who, from the other side, kill totally innocent citizens." The jihad that has been declared does not extend to the federal army. Dzhabrailov told Gazeta: "The federals operate within the framework of the Constitution and have nothing to do with jihad." The official's entourage reacted immediately to this explanation, whispering: "They do indeed have something to do with jihad, and they are perishing like shahids.".

WEARING a Paul Green School of Rock T-shirt, his bangs plastered to his forehead in the summer heat, Laris Kreslins pulled in front of a handsome brownstone on Rittenhouse Square, the priciest neighborhood in the city, and hopped out of his car.

"We're going to show you what a real Philly apartment looks like," he said, unlocking the door to reveal a spacious one-bedroom flat sparsely decorated with CD's and copies of music magazines. "As you can see, it has hardwood floors, lots of light and very high ceilings," he said. Then Mr. Kreslins paused and delivered what he knew would be the kicker: "Rent is $800 a month. Heat and electricity included."

...

Attracted by a thriving arts and music scene here and a cost of living that is 37 percent lower than New York's, according to city figures, a significant number of youngish artists, musicians, restaurateurs and designers are leaving New York City and heading down the turnpike for the same reasons they once moved to Brooklyn from Manhattan.

"We got priced out of Manhattan, and we moved to Brooklyn," said John Schmersal, 32, of the three-member band Enon; two of them migrated here in January. "Then we got priced out of Brooklyn. Now we're in Philadelphia."

...

Ms. Neighbor and Mr. Matz discovered Fishtown, a gentrifying blue-collar neighborhood adjacent to Northern Liberties, where, in the last five years, youthful faces with bed head have made their way among the traditionally Irish Catholic residents. They found a three-bedroom row house for $170,000.

"New York is mythologically all about vibrancy and creativity, but it's hard to work a 40-hour week and come home and be Jackson Pollock," said Mr. Matz, 32, a guitarist. He said that by living in Philadelphia he could support himself teaching public school and devote the rest of his time to his band.

A few blocks away from Ms. Neighbor's house live Laura Watt, a 38-year-old painter, and her husband, Clark Thompson, 38, a financial services technician who left his Manhattan-based bank for one in Philadelphia a year ago. They settled in a three-level condominium in a new housing development called Rag Flats in Fishtown with their two children, Gus and Lydia. At $439,000 it was pricier than any of the block's three-story row houses, but with three bedrooms, each with an outdoor deck; solar heat and electricity; a rooftop with spectacular views; and a dumbwaiter going down to the kitchen, they thought it was worth it.

"Philadelphia reminds me a lot of what Brooklyn used to be like," said Ms. Watt, who had lived in Brooklyn and Westchester County for 15 years

Philadelphia Story: The Next Borough

That's not to say that Canada shrugs off the decrees of radical imams. Canada has strong laws against hate speech, and the country's commission governing television and radio allowed Al Jazeera on the air only if cable and satellite distributors monitored its programs 24 hours a day. The agency also allowed cable companies to alter or delete "abusive comments" from Al Jazeera programs.

...

Yet since the London bombings senior Canadian officials have made increasingly stronger comments about security dangers, and a poll last week showed that Canadians favor tough security measures over civil liberties. The Globe and Mail and CTV found that 72 percent of Canadians support placing video cameras in public places, and 81 percent favor "deporting or jailing anyone who publicly supports terrorist bombers." CLIFFORD KRAUSS

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/14/weekinreview/14imam.html?pagewanted=all

Modern spread of Wahhabism

Wahhabism is the official form of Islam in Saudi Arabia. In 1924 the Wahhabi al-Saud dynasty conquered Mecca and Medina, cities holy to Muslims, creating the Saudi state. The spread of Wahhabi Islam has been facilitated by Saudi oil revenues; Saudi laypeople, government officials and clerics have donated many tens of millions of dollars to create Wahhabi-oriented religious schools, newspapers and outreach organizations.

Some Wahhabis believe that many Muslim Brotherhood scholars — Sayyid Qutb and Yusuf al-Qaradawi are sometimes cited — are corrupted due to their innovations in Islam, and their call to revolution and rebellion against the rulers of Muslim countries. For the same reason, they hold that Osama bin Laden is not a Wahhabi, but a Qutbee (follower of Sayyid Qutb), due to his rebellion against the rulers of Saudi Arabia.

Wahhabis ban pictures, photographs, musical instruments, singing, video, and celebrating Muhammad's birthday, among many other things, based on their interpretation of the ahadith (classical collections of sayings and traditions of Muhammad). Many Wahhabi men grow their beards and wear their traditional dresses above their ankles. These practices have come to be associated with the more radical Islamist factions, particularly following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later rise of the Taliban.

Many contend that Wahhabism is or has become a dominant form of Islam through proselytization driven by Saudi funding; others contend that its influence is less widespread and that the practice and observance of Wahhabism and the political manifestations that flow therefrom are more nuanced than its most doctrinaire interpretations.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(Redirected from Kuffar)

• See kaffir lime for the condiment
• See kaffir for the derogatory Afrikaans term for native Africans.

Kafir (or kāfir; plural Kuffar, kuffār) is an Arabic word meaning "denier" or "concealer." The Turkish form is Gavur. In a religious context it means a non-Muslim, and it is often used to mean "unbeliever" or "infidel". The noun kufr means "not believing in God" or "blasphemy, atheism." In Fiqh, the term amounts to the equivalent of Christian excommunication. The verb, "to declare someone a kafir" is takfir. For example, the novelist Salman Rushdie was declared a kafir in the Fatwa of Ayatollah Khomeini.

According to some scholars in Islam, the correct use of the word kafir in Islamic theology does not include either Christians, Samaritans, Jews, and all "Sabians" who are covered by the term Ahl-al-Kitab, or "People of the Book," because they are considered recipients of divine revelation from Allah. However, other scholars, such as those backing militant Islamists, often do not make the distinction in their rhetoric and do often use it to include these religious communities, or any enemy.

GMP20050813020001 Nicosia Cyprus Mail in English 13 Aug 05 p 5 [Report by Stefanos Evripidou: "Cyprus ponders travel advisory for Turkey"]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is mulling over whether to issue a travel advisory on Turkey, said a ministry official yesterday.

After the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Turkey as well as the thwarted attack against Israeli tourists, the ministry hinted that a travel warning might be in order, despite the fact that no such warning was issued after the London or Egypt bomb attacks.

A ministry official told the Cyprus Mail: "We are still examining along with our EU partners whether to issue a travel advisory on Turkey."

Asked if the ministry would decide any time soon, given the importance such advice would hold to Cypriots visiting Turkey, especially Istanbul, the official replied: "It is impossible to say when we will reach a decision."

According to the official, Cyprus is not obliged to follow the decisions of any other EU country on the matter. "Each country has the right to decide independently on this but we are working with our EU partners, exchanging information, which helps us a lot in our decision," she said.

Asked to comment on Israel's withdrawal of its travel advisory to Turkey yesterday following the arrest of a Syrian-born suspect, the official said: "Of course there is that element to take into account."

A spokesman for the 'foreign ministry' in the north had a more ambivalent view of the government's motives.

"Our attitude to terrorism is very clear, we condemn it. But when bombs went off in London we didn't advise our citizens not to go there. The Greek Cypriot government has a kind of paranoia or phobia about Turkey and will use anything against it," he said.

In the meantime, travel to Turkey will likely continue, with Cypriot demand increasing to visit Orthdoxy's most holy sites.

CEP20050815021003 Moscow Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Russian 15 Aug 05 p 2

[Report by Viktor Myasnikov: "Landing at the Double. Scale of Russian-Chinese Exercises Much Greater Than Officially Stated"]

According to the official plan the first-ever Russian-Chinese exercises do not begin until 18 August, but by Sunday 14 August two Russian ships -- an ASW craft and a landing vessel -- had already left the Chinese port of Qingdao to rehearse elements of the joint maneuvers, namely weapons use, a landing operation, and a joint naval review. This was announced by exercises press center head Vyacheslav Sedov. A mock shore-landing assault on the coast at Lantai is planned for 15 August.
[Passage omitted]
According to the scenario the exercises entail an antiterrorist operation, so it is surprising that so many ships are taking part. After all, international terrorists do not as yet have a navy or strike aircraft. "Peace Mission-2005" has much more the look of a rehearsal for backing up a strategic landing operation.
It is also striking that the military departments of Russia and China are doing their utmost to play down and to disguise the true scale of the exercises. The 18-19 August first phase, for instance, is being presented as a staff training lesson. China has actually shown unprecedented openness. Legislative decisions ratifying the status of Russian service people on PRC territory have been made in short order, and a company of landing troops has been deployed in Qingdao in Chinese People's Liberation Army barracks. This suggests a serious interest on the Chinese side's part in the sphere of military cooperation. The contours of a new military bloc within the framework of the Shanghai Security Organization are emerging with increasing clarity.

MOSCOW. Aug 15 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of congratulations to Chairman of the North Korean National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il to mark the 60th anniversary of North Korea's independence, the presidential press service announced Monday.

In his message, Putin praised the heroism of the Korean people in their long-standing struggle against colonial rule and expressed satisfaction that North Koreans remembered the important role played by Soviet troops in the Far East in the liberation of Korea.

CEP20050812027223 (Internet) Kavkaz-Tsentr News Agency WWW-Text in Russian 0000 GMT 11 Aug 05

Since the victory (in the first war) which God granted us, we have observed all the laws and procedures which have applied across the world, apart from the laws of God. We declared a democratic election campaign where everyone had the right to vote, where Russian grannies from Groznyy unable to leave for Russia and those who used to be servants of the occupation forces had the same voice as the mojahedin member carrying a rifle upholding the freedom of his country.

We invited observers from all the infidel countries and the OSCE. In other words, we recognized their right to observe and to judge these elections. We made them judges, never mind the fact that their presence alone was considered a great political success. Although that same head of the OSCE Guldeman clearly and unambiguously stated as he left Russia that he did not recognize Chechnya's sovereignty. This was not the opinion of one individual, but the position of the whole European community.

At the time we wanted to become part of the system of the new world order. Nine years have passed since then. The Russian infidels, with the clear support of the European countries and other infidels, have shown such indiscriminate and cruel brutality that there should be none among us who are deluded. But (and this is surprising) our official representatives are still building a policy and wording their speeches in such a way to get the western community to recognize us.

We would not, for example, mind if Switzerland recognized us. This, by the way, is a country where 52 per cent of the population have expressed their consent that single-sex marriages should be legalized. Even one who does not have a profound knowledge of the Islamic faith should be disgusted by the attitude of such countries and such societies, never mind inviting them as observers and judges. But this is the same European community which we should hold in contempt and despise. They did not even think it necessary to explain their position of political idiocy when, whilst recognizing the legitimacy of the Chechen president and the legality of his election, they did not recognize the legality of the Chechen state. [Passage omitted: reference to Koran]

We built our state, "on a model accepted throughout the world". In other words, we believed it normal to imitate the Jahilliat state model based on atheist (Satanist) ideology. Perhaps, if we had drunk vodka and eaten pork we would have committed a lesser sin. But God knows best! We elected a president and a parliament, formed a cabinet of ministers and appointed a prosecutor. The president we elected (may God have pity on him and on us) declared that the courts would be half Shari'ah and half secular. Parliament legalized almost all the former Soviet holidays under other titles. It seemed that the most abnormal thing was the creation of the so-called Chechen army which was a copy of the Russian army. Even a respect for "patterned berets" was cultivated.

In other words, we cultivated not just an army but also an ideology of an army of non-believers whom God humbled and punished with our hands. As expected, during their very first test at the beginning of the second war all these "berets" disappeared, and after the first week of the war you could have found room for the whole official army of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in the Mercedes of the Chechen defence minister. Whereas in the first war the state in the guise of its structures stayed together for about a month from the moment combat operations started, in the second war these structures broke up within a week. The onslaught of the enemy was in the main countered by forces of the mojahedin who had nothing to do with the Chechen army.

The fact that a state based on the Jahilliat system cannot withstand an onslaught was clearly seen, too, in the example of Iraq. This state was a "subject of international law" and had a 600,000-strong army which was very well equipped with weapons. This state and this army crumbled, and in Iraq today there are quite different people who are waging a war against the occupation forces.

These obvious facts should have prompted us to a certain reflection about things. Perhaps it is of the greatest blessing that we did not become a "subject of international law"?! After all, if these fighters for the rights of sexual perverts had accepted us, then things would have been much worse. Our ignorance of the false path we had chosen would have been fortified and we would have considered it normal to worship God in a mosque, but in real life worship "international law". May God save us from such destructive delusions! [Passage omitted: quotes from Koran, relationships between Muslims and their attitude to the law]

Our foreign policy and diplomacy

Since we have already touched upon this subject, we should at least briefly sum up the results of our activity in a European (western) direction and the degree of effectiveness of our efforts. Europeans adhere to the principles of "realpolitik". In realpolitik such basic categories of human ethics as "truth", "justice", "good" and "evil" are of subordinate, secondary importance. Realpolitik is based on materialism and on a so-called rational approach to reality. The infidels have always adhered to realpolitik and it is not an invention of recent times.

If we look at the realpolitik of the Europeans we can see that they have no intention of complicating relations with Russia just because the latter is destroying the Chechens, because, in the first place, Russia, as a source of energy and with its sales markets for European goods is much more important to them than any violations of notorious "human rights". Second, there is no point in annoying and again entering into a confrontation with a nuclear power for immaterial reasons. The third, and main reason is that the destruction of the Muslims cannot be a material reason and arouse pity in the soul of the infidels, because this is clearly stated in the Koran.

The Chechens are of particular interest to the Europeans. First, to put occasional political pressure on the Russian leadership by playing the so-called "Chechen card"; second, for recruiting agents of influence from among Chechen representatives in Europe, and third, in order to obtain information about the real state of the forces of the mojahedin and to expose areas where we are vulnerable.

With this in mind, permanent contact is maintained with Chechen representatives abroad and numerous human-rights campaigners and representatives of humanitarian missions and journalists are sent to Chechnya. Fourth, in order to create this kind of information-psychological background, where the struggle of the Chechen people is made to look illegal and foolish and the activities of the Chechen leadership are motivated by extremist ambitions leading to a "humanitarian disaster".

We have no objection to our representatives abroad embarking on a path of realpolitik. But in order to do so they must proceed from the following concepts: first, they must always remember that God alone is the greatest real being and everything that happens does so only through His will. Second, we Muslims are aware that we will achieve victory in the war against the non-believers not by force of arms and numbers of troops, but by the grace of God who will reward us because there are God-fearing Muslims among us. Third, we can outwit the non-believers in exactly the same political way not because of the resourcefulness of our minds (although this is not a hindrance), but because we are God-fearing.
First and foremost, we must place all our hopes in God and observe the Islamic faith. Fourth, we must not simply place our hopes in God but we are obliged to know our religion. We derive true information about the nature of non-believers and hypocrites, their aspirations, their tactics and about what they hide in their hearts and what they show, in what aspects they are united and in what they are divided, from the Koran and the Sunna. Only in this way can we shape our realpolitik in our relations with those who are without faith.

[Signed] The Islamic Centre of Strategic Research and Political Technology