Victims of the terrorist attacks wrote a letter to presidential candidates for the elections in the year 2004. The candidates responded through the newspaper Novaja Gazeta.
Anna Politovskaja, January 2004
This week in Moscow, a message from victims of terrorist attacks in Russia to presidential candidates was circulated. Here are the main quotes from this message: “We lost loved ones during the explosions of residential buildings in 1999 and during the seizure of the theater on Dubrovka in 2002… We tried in vain to get intelligible explanations from the authorities… The current president of the Russian Federation was obliged to us not just by his position and by his conscience – after all, the death of our loved ones is directly related to his political career and his decisions… For us, these elections are perhaps the last chance to find the truth. We urge the presidential candidates to raise these issues during the election campaign, we would like to hear what each of you will do if elected – will a real independent and impartial investigation be ordered or will the conspiracy of silence around the death of our loved ones continue in the future … “
The background of this letter is this: it was sent to Russia from overseas. It was written in California, where Lyubov Burban, the mother of Grigory Burban, a Ukrainian citizen who died at Dubrovka, lives. In addition to her, the appeal is signed by: firstly, Svetlana Gubareva, a citizen of Kazakhstan, whose daughter Sasha and fiancé Sandy Booker, an American citizen, died at Nord-Ost, and Svetlana herself at the end of 2003 gave official testimony to the FBI, conducting their own investigation into the tragic hostage-taking in Moscow in October 2002 (this is what they do when American citizens die). Secondly, the sisters Alena and Tatyana Morozov (now also living in the USA), who lost their mother during the bombing of the appartment block on Guryanov Street. And Pavel Finogenov, a Muscovite whose brother died at Dubrovka.
On January 12, the appeal to the presidential candidates of the Russian Federation was also supported by the rest of the Nordostovites – former hostages and families of the victims, who several months ago created a public regional organization to protect victims of terrorist attacks.
The main part of the letter are the questions that candidates are asked to answer.
Questions for the presidential candidates
Regarding the appartment bombings of 1999:
- Why did the authorities prevent the investigation of the events in Ryazan, where FSB officers were convicted of preparing the bombing of a residential building?
- Why did State Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznev announce the explosion of a residential building in Volgodonsk three days before it happened?
- Why was the discovery of hexogen in bags labeled “Sugar” at a military base in Ryazan in the fall of 1999 not investigated?
- Why, under pressure from the FSB, was the investigation into the transfer of hexogen from military warehouses to front companies through the NII Rosconversvzryvtsentr scientific research institute closed?
- Why was the lawyer Trepashkin arrested after identifying the FSB agent who rented premises for planting a bomb in a house on the Guryanov street?
Regarding Dubrovka theatre hostage crisis of 2002:
- Why was the decision to launch an assault using gas made when there were real possibilities for freeing the hostages?
- Did the authorities know that there would be no explosion by using a slow-acting agent, which made it possible to detonate the explosive devices?
- Why were all the terrorists, including those in a helpless state, killed rather than arrested for investigation?
- Why did the authorities hide the existence of Terkibaev, who participated in the seizure of the theater, and why did he die in a car accident, after his name became known?
- Why were provisions for the medical assistance to the hostages not organized during the special operation, which led to the death of 130 people?
Presidential candidate I. KHAKAMADA
“I was ordered not to interfere in the history of Nord-Ost. Now I’m talking about many things for the first time…”
I have not studied the explosions in Moscow and Volgodonsk and therefore I will only answer questions regarding the events on Dubrovka:
- The decision to begin the assault was made on the third day of the capture, and I was inside the building on the first day and I can speak to the things that happened then. My impression: on the first day it was possible to free the hostages through negotiations. The assault, I think, was necessary as a tool for demonstrating strength, and people’s lives faded into the background.
- It’s still a mystery to me: how can you single-handedly destroy all the terrorists who were in different parts of the building and hall? And why did all the bandits die as a result of the gas attack, while the people next to them both died and survived?
- I have a suspicion that none of them were needed as living witnesses that the terrorists could release the hostages and then speak in open court. I emphasize that this is my suspicion and there is a presumption of innocence.
- It is known that we organized our own investigation in the SPS, as a result of which we came to the conclusion that the rescue stage was not organized at all. Everything happened completely spontaneously, it was just chaos. The main thing was the military part of the operation, and no one was even appointed responsible for the civilian one…
I would also add on my own behalf that after the tragedy on Dubrovka, Mr. Putin misled the whole world. In response to a question from a Washington Post journalist, he said: “These people did not die as a result of the gas, because the gas was not harmful. It was harmless… And we can say that not a single hostage was harmed during the operation.”
It is widely known that at the moment, when President Putin and his entourage were shaking in the Kremlin from fear not for the lives of people, but because of the fear of losing power, several people dared, in the name of saving the hostages, to voluntarily go to the terrorists and try to free at least the children. I thank God that I, a mother of two children, a woman, had the courage and will to negotiate with the terrorists. Previously, I had not made public much of what I saw at the Theater Center, much less how the president and members of his administration reacted to my attempt to save people. I did not talk about this before because I was mistaken in thinking that President Putin would eventually help establish the truth and repent for his order to use the deadly gas. But Putin is silent and does not answer anything to people who have lost loved ones. The President made his choice to hide the truth. I also made a choice – to tell the truth.
As a result of my negotiations with terrorists at the Theater Center on October 23, 2002 and subsequent events, I came to the conclusion that the terrorists did not plan to blow up the Theater Center, and the authorities were not interested in saving all the hostages.
The main events happened when I returned after negotiations with terrorists. The head of the presidential administration, A. Voloshin, threatened me and ordered me not to interfere in this story.
Assessing what happened, I come to the inevitable conclusion: this terrorist attack helped spur anti-Chechen hysteria, continue the war in Chechnya and maintain a high rating for the president.
I am convinced that Putin’s actions to hide the truth are essentially a state crime. I promise that when I become president, the citizens of Russia will learn the truth about the appartment bombings, the tragedy at the Dubrovka Theater Center and many other crimes of the authorities.
Recently, many of my friends began to dissuade me from going to the presidential elections. Publicly, they say that I am almost betraying the interests of the Democrats, who are calling for a boycott of the elections. And in private conversations they say that they will simply kill me if I tell the truth.
I am not afraid of terrorists within the authorities. And I appeal to everyone: do not be afraid either. Our children must grow up to be free people.
Presidential candidate I. RYBKIN
“Terkibaev, who died in a car accident, boasted that he had led militants from the State Duma to Dubrovka”
First of all, I would like to say that, of course, both the appartment block bombings and the Nordost hostage crises at Dubrovka are a consequence of the second Chechen war. President Putin, on the crest of this war, flew into the Kremlin, promising that he would restore order, but he was unable to do this. Thousands died as a result. People are dying in terrorist attacks… Everywhere. Putin and his inner circle are to blame for this. There is still a lot that is completely incomprehensible and unclear in all these tragedies… This means that serious civilian control over the activities of the security forces is needed. A civilian commission of inquiry is needed to investigate all terrorist attacks and bombings. The commission should be headed by people known throughout the country for their honesty and decency. Sergei Kovalev, Yuliy Rybakov – that’s who could head such a commission. It should include both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition, as well as independent experts.
Regarding the appartment block bombings:
- I think there was a crime by the special services before the law. Even if we follow the path that there were exercises in Ryazan, then in this case all formal rules and instructions were violated.
- Why did State Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznev know? This in itself is not a strange, but a terrible event. Having announced this, he must be under investigation and say where the information came from, so that both those who ordered and executed these acts become known.
- As for “sugar,” I call this hiding the traces of a crime.
- The closing of the investigation into the transfer of hexogen from military warehouses was illegally, and after an independent commission starts working, it should reveal the true picture.
- I think they simply want to silence Colonel Trepashkin, intimidate him, instill fear, as is now being spread throughout Russia. They extrapolate the approaches and training that the security forces received during the Chechen war to all of Russia. They are crazy and stupid, they think that the result will justify everything. The destructive force is enormous and creative force is non-existing.
Regarding Dubrovka theatre hostage crisis:
- All the behavior of the authorities indicates that when there was a real possibility of freeing the hostages, they decided to storm
- all of Moscow and all of Russia are talking about this, just as they wanted to hide their ends in the water at Dubrovka.
- Did the authorities know? It is especially bitter for me to answer this question, because during the events in Budennovsk, at a very closed meeting, the security forces answered me the exact opposite: that you cannot use chemical agents on a bus with hostages, this increases the likelihood of uncontrolled use of explosive devices, and chaotic burst fire can begin at the moment of falling asleep. If they used it this time, it means they knew that there would be no explosion…
- All the terrorists were shot while sleeping because they could tell a lot of interesting things. I want to say that all of Russia is perplexed: why shoot at people who are sleeping? Walk up and hit him in the head?
- About Terkibaev. The authorities failed to hide Terkibaev from the public, so he died. I know with what anger people spoke about this, especially knowingthat Terkibayev had a presidential administration certificate… He himself was proud and spoke about it – that he was able to lead Barayev’s detachment from the Duma to Dubrovka…
- The lack of assistance to those injured during the assault is barbarism, which is entirely on the conscience of those involved in the final phase. This is their reluctance to admit new witnesses who could then tell how everything happened. Sooner or later you will have to answer for this. There is a desire to transfer all people’s dissatisfaction for the lack of timely medical care to the Moscow mayor, but according to the law, it is not the mayor who is responsible for the fight against terrorism, but the FSB. What began after the terrorist attack was a man-made meteor shower on the chests and shoulder straps of all the security forces who had to be punished for letting the detachment pass. I am not inclined to believe that the time will come, the archives will be opened, and then we will find out the truth… But nothing will be opened. We need to investigate now so that the terrible disaster does not happen again. So that there is no such mockery of people.
Presidential candidate N. KHARITONOV
“There’s a reason why they didn’t say anything. The secret was needed.”
Regarding the appartment block bombings:
- It’s hard to say why the authorities didn’t create an investigation commission… Of course, this is bad. The actions of the authorities must be transparent.
- Seleznev? I wouldn’t comment – apparently he knew some nuances.
- It’s profitable to hide. Although since this has already become known to the public, it is necessary to explain why and why.
- I do not know any facts about the transfer of hexogen from military warehouses. But since they exist, this is a matter for the independent commission. This should be done by the State Duma Security Committee. People should turn to their deputies, for whom they voted, so that they demand the creation of such a commission in the Duma. How realistic is this today? When is there only “United Russia” everywhere? Well, people will see who is who in the Duma now…
- About Trepashkin. He was arrested so that he would not say anything more.
Regarding the Dubrovka theatre hostage crisis:
- This is such a situation that it was difficult to find a solution.” No one could give the best option.
- “The authorities understood: an explosion could happen in any case and at any moment. Nobody gave any guarantees at all.
- “I wasn’t there, and I can’t say that.” But the terrorists could close the wires at any moment, even in a dying state. Therefore, they decided to eliminate them.
- About Terkibaev. Hard to say. The secret of the investigation, probably. What about a car accident? This does not mean “ends in the water.” Diana also died, and her husband is now responsible.
- About medical care. Understand that any medical preparations could be perceived by terrorists as preparation for an assault. This is the reason why nothing was prepared. The secret was needed. Without a doubt, if elected president, I promise to form an independent commission of inquiry into Dubrovka. I always keep my promises – I have already won five times in a single-mandate constituency in Siberia. So, I don’t deceive people.
PS: The rest of the candidates also received the text of the appeal and the questions. We are waiting for their answers.
The publication was prepared by Anna POLITKOVSKAYA
01/15/2004
Source found in Russian on Wayback Machine, translation John Gather