Shamil Basayev-Chechnya's Bin Laden (2)

Shamil Basayev became involved in the nearby Dagestan War after he lost

his bid for president. This prompted Vladimir Putin to launch the

Second Chechen War, which successfully reclaimed Grozny for the

Russians. Since then, Chechnya has been officially under Russian

control, but there is still a strong insurgency.

In 2003,

Shamil's subordinate launched an attack on a theater in Moscow. 850

hostages were taken and demands were made (the Chechens wanted an

immediate Russian withdrawal from Chechnya). After a few days of

negotiation, Putin allowed the Russian Spetsnaz to enter. The Spetsnaz

pumped a sleeping agent into the theater and knocked many of the

terrorists and hostages asleep. The Spetsnaz then entered and killed

all of the terrorists. Afterwards, many of the hostages got sick from

the gas.

In 2004, Shamil's men launched an attack on a school in

Beslan. 1200 teachers, parents, and children were taken hostage and

held in atrocious conditions for several days. Eventually, the Russians

raided the school. Many civilian casualties resulted from the fire that

resulted and approximately 1/4 of the hostages were killed.

In 2006, Shamil was killed (probably by Russian security forces).

For more information:

Theage.com

http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/shamil/shamil.htm

http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2002/1104/cover/story.html

http://www.caucasus.dk/publication1.htm

http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/documents/wolvesden.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/chechnya2.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3624136.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3627406.stm

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