12 May 2004 00:14
Acting Chechen president defiant over prospects for peace
[Presenter] The search for the people who ordered and carried out the terrorist attack [the blast which killed
Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov on 9 May] is continuing. Today, reports appeared that the explosive device was planted
at the Dinamo stadium a year ago during major reconstruction work. Five suspects have been arrested, although their
names have not yet been released.
[Correspondent Petr Korovyakovskiy] Experts are continuing their work at the Dinamo stadium but the investigation is
still unable to say when, how and by whom the concealed hellish device was planted.
[Alu Alkhanov, Chechen interior minister] Two theories are being pursued. I can't tell you anything new, so
let's wait.
[Correspondent] Representatives of the command said that the high state of readiness of reserve military units, which
was introduced immediately after the blast in case there were any incursions by rebel fighters, had been cancelled. Our
film crew, which travelled about 100 km in Chechnya today, did not notice any signs of increased security measures.
Ill-wishers, of which there are plenty here, have already come up with a cruel joke: they were celebrating 9 May
[Victory Day] but ended up with 22 June [the date of the German invasion of the USSR in World War II].
So far, the Chechen leadership is studiously avoiding the topic of personal responsibility of any officials and
prefers to concentrate on the main tasks in its programme.
[Sergey Abramov, acting Chechen president, speaking to press] We will achieve peace on our land. We will build houses
and restore the republic's economy. Let everyone know that this will happen. And it will happen, in the shortest
possible time.
[Video shows Alkhanov speaking to press, armed traffic police on duty in Groznyy, Abramov speaking to press, flanked
by Ramzan Kadyrov, first deputy prime minister of Chechnya]
[Centre TV] |
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