Basayev's words cause controversy

Practically all officials and press services of law enforcement and security agencies whom Caucasian Knot managed to contact commented on Chechen separatist leader and terrorist Shamil Basayev's statement in approximately the same way: "We do not comment on ravings."

Such answers were given by Russia's Deputy Prosecutor General Nikolai Shepel and Chechnya's President Alu Alkhanov.

However, security officers less dependent on the official opinion treated Mr Basayev's words more seriously. "Such professional preparation for and execution of the diversion indicates high skills of the designers, availability of sufficient intelligence, approaches to the target and ways to pull out, and a good cover during the action. But what is most important is availability of information about the political possibility to carry it out and about the response of officials to it," one active officer of Russian special services explained to Caucasian Knot.

Another interlocutor of Caucasian Knot, also an active officer, believes that "Basayev has simply decided to remind of himself. In his letter he calls Abdullah (Vladimir) Khodov an agent of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Regional Organised Crime Combating Department (RUBOP) at the same time."

"Firstly, however, RUBOPs have gone for a long time already, and secondly, RUBOPs and FSB were mortal enemies. And when it was decided to disband RUBOPs, it was FSB that helped 'bury' them. It was impossible to be an agent of these two structures at the same time," the officer indicated.

• Basayev makes major statement