Qatar charges Russians in killing of Yandarbiyev

[David McDuff]

DOHA February 26, 2004- Qatar said Thursday it had arrested
two Russians and charged them with involvement in the assassination of
a former rebel Chechen president in what Moscow termed a hostile act
against agents of its special services.

[ethics]

Smells fishy.

1. Qatar is unbiased how?
2. Sounds like someone was looking for scapegoats.

[David McDuff]

Smells fishy.

1. Qatar is unbiased how?
2. Sounds like someone was looking for scapegoats.


Well, that's what all the official Russian news agencies (Itar-Tass, RIA Novosti, Interfax, etc.) are saying, very loudly and repeatedly...

[ethics]

I don't trust the Russian press, never had. The only one I would is perhaps Moscow Times (western based) and RFE.

[David McDuff]

I don't trust the Russian press, never had. .

But you agree with what they are saying about the arrests?

The only one I would is perhaps Moscow Times (western based) and RFE

RFE/RL is based in Prague and funded by the US government, isn't it?

[ethics]

RFE/RL is based in Prague and funded by the US government, isn't it?
From their page: http://www.rferl.org/about/organization/brief.asp

RFE/RL is a private, nonprofit corporation chartered in Delaware, which receives federal funding as a private, nonprofit grantee. RFE/RL's corporate board of directors is composed of the nine presidential appointees to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which has oversight responsibility for all nonmilitary, U.S.-government funded international broadcasting activities. The chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, former Editor-in-Chief of Reader's Digest (1989-1996), member of the Board for International Broadcasting (1987-1995) and Director of the Voice of America (1982-1984).

[David McDuff]

From their page: http://www.rferl.org/about/organization/brief.asp

RFE/RL is a private, nonprofit corporation chartered in Delaware, which receives federal funding as a private, nonprofit grantee. RFE/RL's corporate board of directors is composed of the nine presidential appointees to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which has oversight responsibility for all nonmilitary, U.S.-government funded international broadcasting activities. The chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, former Editor-in-Chief of Reader's Digest (1989-1996), member of the Board for International Broadcasting (1987-1995) and Director of the Voice of America (1982-1984).

Yep, but the top of the page also says:

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a private, international communications service to Eastern and Southeastern Europe, Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia, funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. In countries stretching from Belarus to Bosnia and from the Arctic Sea to the Persian Gulf, listeners rely on RFE/RL's daily news, analysis, and current affairs programming to provide a coherent, objective account of events in their region and the world.


I guess should have said: "Funded by the US Congress" not the US govt. The two things tend to get confused in the minds of foreigners. :)

Also, most of the RFE/RL news-gathering takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, though there are obviously correspondents throughout the world.

I'm still intrigued by the arrests of the 2 Russians, though. It does look very suspiciously as though they really are Russian agents. One was even carrying a diplomatic passport.

[ethics]

Oh I wasn't disputing your statement, David, my quote states that it is funded by the US Government. :)

Still, I find them very good, if not the best, on coverage of Russia. Reminds me of the old Voice of America.

[David McDuff]

Oh I wasn't disputing your statement, David, my quote states that it is funded by the US Government. :)

Reading it again, you're right, it does! :) Sort of obliquely, though.

Still, I find them very good, if not the best, on coverage of Russia. Reminds me of the old Voice of America.


Here's their report on the Qatar arrests:


RUSSIA DENOUNCES QATAR'S ARREST OF INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS...
Acting Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has denounced as a "provocation" the arrest in Qatar of three Russian special-services employees accused of involvement in the 13 February car bombing that killed former Chechen acting President Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, newsru.com reported on 26 February (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 17 and 20 February 2004). Qatar's Interior Ministry announced on 25 February that two of the three suspects detained for questioning since 19 February have been charged with murder, but he did not identify them, AP reported. "Our country has nothing to do with the indicated incident," Ivanov said in a statement posted on the Foreign Ministry's website. "Therefore the attempts by the Qatari authorities to shift responsibility for the attack on Yandarbiev to the Russian citizens they arrested is without any foundation. They were not in any way involved in the incident. The Qatari authorities' insinuations cannot be seen as anything other than a provocation." The statement demanded that Qatar "immediately free the illegally detained Russian citizens and allow them to return to their homeland unimpeded." JB

[ethics]

Wow, amazing. I find it really interesting. Someone was either extremely stupid or there's much more to the story.

Will surely keep my eye out on this.

[Neo]

Qatar said Thursday it had arrested
two Russians and charged them with involvement in the assassination of
a former rebel Chechen president in what Moscow termed a hostile act
against agents of its special services.

"Agents of its special services." Does that mean they were tour guides or what?

[ethics]

It could mean anything from that to chefs. ;) Perplexing, to say the least and I have more questions than answers.