Residents of south of Russia indignant at terror acts in Moscow

Residents of Russia's southern regions feel scared by March 29 terror acts in Moscow metro. The sources of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondents were representatives of different layers of the population; they condoled with casualties' relatives, while the authorities of the regions strengthen security measures in public places.

Residents of Kabardino-Balkaria are indignant at explosions in Moscow metro

The public of Kabardino-Balkaria condemns actions of the terrorists who triggered the March 29 explosions in Moscow metro stations. Local authorities express their condolences to casualties' relatives.

Professor of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University (KBSU) Hadjismel Tkhagapsoev found the Moscow terror acts to be vandalism unacceptable for modern society. "I don't even want to search for the reason - no reasons can explain the attack on ordinary people. Unfortunately, not a country in the world has defeated terrorism," Mr Tkhagapsoev said.

In the opinion of the head of the Human Rights Centre of Kabardino-Balkaria Valery Khatazhukov, the tragic incident in Moscow has reconfirmed that the statements of power agents about their significant achievements in the struggle against terrorism are strongly exaggerated. "On the contrary, we have the dangerous period back, when the war entered mega-cities, where it is easier for terrorists to get lost amidst flows of people and where the count of victims can be much higher," said the human rights activist.

"As to myself, this situation reassures me that this phenomenon should be addressed systemically and on the everyday basis. Functions of special services and law enforcement bodies should be strictly differentiated; and they both should work within the bounds of the law. As to the reasons - ideological, political and social - they also need laborious work. As soon as the support of the underground disappears, the underground will also disappear, Mr Khatazhukov believes.

Condolences to the casualties in Moscow metro were expressed by President of Kabardino-Balkaria Arsen Kanokov. In his opinion, people should know that vengeance is inevitable, and wherever terrorists are, they will be liquidated. "We should do everything possible for citizens of our country, residents of every region to live in safety," said Arsen Kanokov and noted that now it is important to concentrate the efforts of absolutely all branches of power and civil society on the fight against terrorism.

The terror acts were also condemned by Anas Pshikhachev, Chairman of Spiritual Department of Moslems of the KBR. "The inquiry is on, and we'll know who stood behind this brutal act, but I want to state already now that whoever has committed it, he has no right to act under the guise of Islam. Our sacred religion doesn't call to such acts," said the religious figure. He condoled with the families of lost Muscovites.

Ordinary residents of Nalchik are also indignant at the explosions in Moscow metro.

Berdiev: I am worried with the "North-Caucasian trace" highlighted in Moscow terror acts

Ismail-Hadji Berdiev, Mufti of Karachai-Circassia and Stavropol Territory and Chairman of the North-Caucasian Coordination Board of Moslems, said that felt quite uneasy when federal mass media insisted on the opinion that there was a North-Caucasian trace in terror acts in Moscow metro.

"It is extremely unpleasant for me to hear this sort of statements, as I'm the head of the Coordination Board of Moslems of the Northern Caucasus, and it touches me directly. Maybe law enforcement bodies have some grounds to state this, I don't know, but they were not officially sounded. It's too early to make statements, but the fact that stigma is put on all the Northern Caucasus worries me," Mr Berdiev said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Yesterday, the head of Karachai-Circassia Boris Ebzeev said that no Russia's nation and none of the traditional religions accept extremism and terrorism. "Whoever committed these monstrous crimes, they deserve the toughest but fair punishment," Mr Ebzeev is quoted by his press service.

The head of the republic also condoled with the families of casualties of the terror acts in Moscow metro in his telegram addressed to Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov. "The people who dared commit this brutal crime, opposed themselves to the whole multinational Russian Federation. Such criminals shall have no place among people. The duty of law enforcers now is to detain and expose the criminals," Mr Ebzeev has emphasized.

The press service of the President's administration also reported that in the context of the tragic events in Moscow metro, Boris Ebzeev instructed all the heads of his power agencies to take measures towards strengthening safety in public places and when holding nationwide actions.

People in Dagestan believe that terror acts in Russia will continue

Hadjimurat Kamalov, a political analyst, publicist and director of the publishing house OJSC "Svoboda Slova" (Freedom of Speech), said today to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that terror acts in Moscow were quite anticipated.

"Militants have been waging their sabotage-guerrilla war in Northern Caucasus and Russia for a long time. One of these days, Anzor Astemirov and Said Buryatskiy were liquidated. Now, a quite predictable response followed under the so-called talio (reciprocity) principle: 'You liquidate our people - we liquidate yours.' We can recollect that similar explosions followed the murders of other leaders of the armed underground: Shamil Basaev and Aslan Maskhadov," said Kamalov.

"Unfortunately, the country lacks proper legal mechanisms to cut the Gordian knot of present North-Caucasian problems, at least as it was done in Northern Ireland or with Basque separatists. Therefore, Russia is fighting militants like the USSR did with basmaches (rebels against Soviet power) in 1930s," the source said.

Mr Kamalov has stated that Russia can offer nothing to militants. "The authorities are not yet ready to peace talks. They don't know at all how to behave with militants," he reported. "There is an example of Chechnya, where President Ramzan Kadyrov urged the 'forest fighters' to take his side, and later they fought, arms in hand, against their yesterday's friends. But this way also showed its inefficiency many times."

Ahmed Azizov, a Deputy of the National Assembly of Dagestan, partly agreed with him. "The version that the explosions in Moscow metro were militants' revenge for Said Buryatskiy's murder is on the surface. This version was thrown by the authorities into the information field. But the situation is not so simple and clear. Any person can be an executor; however, the crimes can be ordered by powerful forces from overseas. They are interested in ruining Russia, these people, they want destabilizing the situation in the country and regions, which does not exclude new tragedies," he said.

Publicist Zubair Zubairuev also could not exclude that attacks of suicide-bombers will continue, although he has noted that he did not know who particularly stood behind the yesterday's explosions in Moscow metro. "I don't know the names of the organizers and customers of the crimes; therefore, it's better to wait for the results of the investigatory-operative actions; but I think that not quite healthy people stand behind the explosions," he said.

A resident of Makhachkala Magomedrasul Aliev said that the Georgian special services can be involved in the incidents. "Georgia is taking revenge on for the last year's military aggression. Tbilisi will not calm down until the issue on South Ossetia and Abkhazia remains unsettled," he said.

Residents of Adygea speak about their fears before the existing terrorist threat

Residents of Adygea are revolted by March 29 terror acts in Moscow metro. The sources of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent were people from different population groups; they all expressed their condolence to casualties' relatives and speak about their fears in the context of the existing terror threat.

Nina Elchugina, head of the department of economic and technical literature of the National Library of the Republic of Adygea said that "after such terrible tragedies, people feel fear. It could have happen in any part of Russia, or of the world, and with any of us."

Anatoly Popov, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, now a pensioner, marked that he had thought and believed that with the end of the war he would never hear explosions again. "I thought I'd never witness massacres and terror acts. After those terrible events of 1941-1945, people were so tired to be at war that they valued peace and calmness as something priceless. However, the silence was fragile. Today, we hear again and again about murders, terror acts and warfare," he said.

Aidamir Khut, an employee of the MIA of the Republic of Adygea, marked that those people who were organizers of terror acts in Moscow, live and conceive evil worldwide. "Nobody is safeguarded against this danger. There is only one way to secure one's family, and one's small and big homeland - to be active in the war on terror, not to stay aside, hoping that someone will do the job, and you'll stay safe and sound," said the law enforcer.

Buddhists of Kalmykia pray in memory of terror casualties

Today, the main Buddhist Khurul (Temple) of Kalmykia "Gold Monastery of Buddha Shakyamuni" hosted a prayer service in memory of the casualties of the terror acts at the Lubyanka and Park Kultury Moscow metro stations. The prayer started with a minute of silence.

"We shall pray for all living creatures without exception and for those people who were lost yesterday and suffered during the terror acts," Tenzin Dugda, the temple prior, said before the prayer service.

He called to pray also about those who cause sufferings to others - "for they could direct their thoughts and wishes towards giving birth in their hearts to love to all live creatures." According to the monk, "the people who committed these blasphemous crimes lack dignity and kindness."

Stavropol Territory strengthens security measures

In the context of the explosions triggered on March 29 at Moscow metro stations, the GUVD (Chief Interior Department) for the Stavropol Territory is taking additional measures towards ensuring safety in public places. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about at the GUVD's press service.