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TERRORIST ATTACKS GOING ON IN CHECHNYA

RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - Terrorist attacks continue in Chechnya, in spite of the cease-fire statement militants made, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov said at a press conference, arranged by the Foreign Correspondents' Association in Moscow.

"Assaults and major crimes, including those committed by illegal armed formations, have been registered," Alkhanov remarked. The cease-fire statement was placed on an Internet site of Chechen separatists some time ago.

The Chechen president considers Maskhadov's cease-fire statement as "another step to remind of himself".

President Alkhanov accused Maskhadov of masterminding terror acts in Chechnya and beyond its boundaries. "If somebody believes that Maskhadov has nothing to do with the terror acts, he or she is mistaken. Nothing is done behind Maskhadov's back, including terror acts in the republic and beyond its borders," the Chechen President pointed out.

Accordingly, "the statements by Maskhadov and Basayev are contrary to fact", President Alkhanov noted.

"Nobody, except Basayev, Maskhadov and those who stand behind them, wages war against Chechens," the president said.

"Basayev, Maskhadov and their associates, who have their hands stained with blood up to their elbows, are responsible for all the troubles and sorrow of Chechens," the official underlined.

Also, President Alkhanov asserted that members of Basayev and Maskhadov's groups were involved in cases of abduction in Chechnya.

Once again the president called on Chechen separatist leaders to leave Chechens in peace and on guerillas to ground arms and return to normal and peaceful life.

The Chechen President also confirmed the fact that Aslan Maskhadov's relatives had been abducted.

"The republic's Prosecutor and Interior Minister report on the situation to me daily," Mr. Alkhanov said. According to him, criminal proceedings have been launched on the fact, with different versions being worked on now.

The president sternly denounced the kidnapping of Maskhadov's relatives.