Russian role suspected in Chechen kills
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 02, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Turkey's National Intelligence Organization, or MIT, has launched an investigation into the murders of three Chechen leaders that took place in Istanbul in the last six months, daily Vatan daily reported yesterday.
The assassination of Ali Osaev Ğ a high-level Chechen commander fighting the Russians Ğ on Friday alarmed the Turkish intelligence service. MIT suspects Russian involvement in the incidents. Osaev was assassinated in front of his house in the Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.
Osaev came to Turkey in 2003 with his family and has been living in the country as a refugee. He was working as the representative of Dukka Umarov, the current leader of the Chechen insurgency in Russia.
Previous murders
Turkish police and MIT suspect Osaev’s murder may be related to previous murders, namely that of Chechen Colonel Gazi Edilsultanov, who was shot dead in Istanbul's Basaksehir district last September, and Commander Islam Canibekov, who was killed in the Umraniye district in December.
All three victims were killed with MSP Groza pistols, developed for the KGB, in front of their houses.
Officials from MIT were briefed on Saturday by a newly formed police investigation unit about the killings of the Chechens. In the meantime, police put the Chechens living in Turkey under scrutiny. It has been revealed that over 500 Chechens have been living in Turkey with a special permit from the Interior Ministry. The deportation of Chechen commanders in Turkey who may be targets is also on the agenda, Vatan said.
The Federal Security Service, or FSB, successor to the Soviet KGB has been carrying out operations against leaders of the Chechen resistance who are living abroad.
Osaev came to Turkey in 2003 with his family and has been living in the country as a refugee. He was working as the representative of Dukka Umarov, the current leader of the Chechen insurgency in Russia.
Previous murders
Turkish police and MIT suspect Osaev’s murder may be related to previous murders, namely that of Chechen Colonel Gazi Edilsultanov, who was shot dead in Istanbul's Basaksehir district last September, and Commander Islam Canibekov, who was killed in the Umraniye district in December.
All three victims were killed with MSP Groza pistols, developed for the KGB, in front of their houses.
Officials from MIT were briefed on Saturday by a newly formed police investigation unit about the killings of the Chechens. In the meantime, police put the Chechens living in Turkey under scrutiny. It has been revealed that over 500 Chechens have been living in Turkey with a special permit from the Interior Ministry. The deportation of Chechen commanders in Turkey who may be targets is also on the agenda, Vatan said.
The Federal Security Service, or FSB, successor to the Soviet KGB has been carrying out operations against leaders of the Chechen resistance who are living abroad.