(Times-UK) Mark Franchetti - A ruthless Islamic militant from Saudi Arabia who has been accused of financing some of Russia’s most deadly terrorist acts has emerged as joint commander of the Chechen rebels after the killing last week of Aslan Maskhadov, former president of the breakaway republic. Abu Havs, 40, a Wahhabi extremist, is said to have become one of Russia’s two most wanted men, along with Shamil Basayev, the rebel leader who claimed responsibility for the Beslan school siege in September. The FSB security service (successor to the KGB) believes that Abu Havs helped organize and finance the Beslan siege, in which 331 hostages died. It claims he is the main channel for funds from the Arab world for the Chechen rebels and it suspects him of links with al-Qaeda.
2005-03-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive