“After the last explosions in Moscow a new war will be launched in the Caucasus and they will not show any mercy to Georgia,” said Khizir Aldamov who headed the office of the Chechen communities in Georgia.

Why did the Chechen rebel leader claim responsibility for organising the terrorist actions in the Moscow metro? Were the female suicide bombers Chechen partisans? How likely is the reported participation of Georgian special services in the terrorist actions? Georgian Times has interviewed with Khizir Aldamov about these questions.

Georgian Times: Some sources suggested that Dokka Umarov’s video address was a fake. What do you think of the issue?

Khizir Aldamov: I am against terrorist actions and killing peaceful civilians. But I believe the Russians deserved this. The whole North Caucasus is in uproar. Everyone knows what kind of situation exists in Chechnya, Daghestan, Kabardino-Balkaria. How many people has Ingushetia lost lately?

Do you remember Nord-Ost, Beslan, Kizlyar? Chechen people are acting openly everywhere but we are blamed for these things anyway. Dokka Umarov refused to claim responsibility for the explosions in Moscow at first because he did not know who had done them but afterwards had to do so.

Georgian Times: Why did he claim responsibility then?

Khizir Aldamov: There are many groups fighting against the Russians. One of these conducted the explosions but I do not know which exactly. It seems it is not a strong group and therefore cannot declare itself responsible, that is why it asked Dokka Umarov to take everything on himself. Why else would he have refused to begin with?

Everything was organised by the Russian special services. Putin forces the Chechen people to do such things. Putin’s people committed the terrorist acts in the subways of Moscow, it is pointless searching for criminals in Chechnya.

The entire North Caucasus is full of Russian Army and police but they are not enough as the Chechen people are fighting anyway. Putin needed an excuse and now he will again walk over Chechnya as he has already done twice. After Chechnya he will move on to Georgia and everything he could not do in August 2008 he will this time.

Georgian Times: Georgian special services have also been accused of organising the terrorist attacks. What do you think about this?

Khizir Aldamov: When the second Russian-Chechen war began we said that Russian special services had plotted it. Then we were called mad. After the explosions in Moscow a new war will be launched in the Caucasus and they will not show any mercy to Georgia. They are trying to involve Georgia in this so they have an excuse to invade Georgia but they cannot convict Georgia of being involved in this case. If Georgia wants a war the Russian Army is stationed 30 kilometres from Tbilisi, why should Georgia go to Moscow to cause trouble?

Georgia wants to resolve its problems peacefully, not by killing Russian citizens. Russians are declaring openly that this attack was planned in Georgia. It is nonsense! Dokka Umarov lives in Chechnya, would he go to Georgia to plan a terror attack? I do not justify terrorist attacks but it is very difficult for the Chechen people when 400.000 men and children are killed and the nation has been destroyed. It is very difficult to just sit calmly and observe everything. How many years have we asked the world to help? Everyone believed the Russian claims that the Chechens were terrorists, didn’t they? The Russians once used to blame Chechens for everything, but now whenever crimes are committed Georgian special services are supposed to be behind them.

Georgian Times: What sort of results could these attacks have for the Caucasus?

Khizir Aldamov: Caucasian people will be arrested and driven out of Moscow. I know their methods. Russian puppet Kadirov will be charged, a third war will be launched in Chechnya and no distinction will be made between civilians and combatants. After Chechnya it will be Georgia’s turn.

Georgian Times: Do you think there is a real chance that Russia will invade Georgia again?

Khizir Aldamov: I was asserting this as long as 10 years ago, and at that time I was called mad. Russia invaded Georgia and grabbed Tskhinvali and Abkhazia, only Tbilisi and Kakheti are left. Putin knows very well that the whole world recognises the territorial integrity of Georgia so now he is trying by cunning to connect Georgia to these explosions. In this way Russia will be able to justify its invasion of Georgia. The world must raise its voice and not give Russia the opportunity to commit another genocide in the Caucasus.

Georgian Times: You say that Russian special services were behind the explosions in Moscow but the suicide bombers were from Chechnya, weren’t they?

Khizir Aldamov: Russia will always find one or two Chechen people who have Chechnen surnames but are connected with Russian special services. The information spread by Russia is not correct. Chechen people do not want terrorism. We do not ask Russia for anything except to be allowed to live on our own land.

12.04.2010

Eka Buchukuri, translated from the Georgian edition of The Georgian Times newspaper