CHAPTER 6.
Chechen terrorists training camp.

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This is one of the training camps of the Islamic terrorist Khattab for mercenaries, saboteurs and killers. Mercenaries from various countries teach here. The programme for trainees includes guerrilla methods, operations in the mountains, tactics of attack on columns, firing practice in day-time and at night, mining practice, special forces actions in making ambushes and raids, tactics of holding hostages in buildings and other disciplines.

Trainees take examinations at the Chechen-Dagestanian border. Then they go underground or join Chechen armed units or go to Afghanistan to join Taliban forces. In fact this is a legal training centre for terrorists on the Russian territory. Its leaders - Khattab, Basayev and Raduyev - pursue their own policy and military activity independent of the official Chechen authorities.

They use profits out of hostage trade to increase military potential of their armed units, to train terrorists, to carry on religious and political propaganda among the population of North Caucasus. A human life costs from 3000 to 4 million dollars here. Therefore, the hostage trade is the financial base of this state in the state.

According to the official information 1046 people were kidnapped in the North Caucasus region from the 1st of January 1997 to the 1st of July 1999. At the present time 517 people are still being held in the Chechen captivity. The destiny of many of them is unknown.