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FIRNS
September 14, 2001
The semi-official Russian news
service Strana.ru today carried an interview with Andrei Kosyakov,
described as a former aide to the Chairman of the Subcommittee for
Monitoring Intelligence Service Activities, under the Supreme Soviet of
Russia (while that existed, 1991-1993).
Kosyakov: You see, in evaluating
the situation one fact stuck out. It is known, that there were telephone
calls from the airplanes. One of the passengers that called was a
professional journalist. But, the media has not made any mention of a
description of the terrorists. None of the passengers who called said, for
example, "we have been hijacked by Arab terrorists." Not one of them
described what the terrorists looked like, their accents, pronunciation;
nothing caused the callers to want to characterize them in some way....
Q: Couldn't the secret services
conceal this information?
Kosyakov: These were private phone
calls, which not even the FBI could keep secret. The conclusion suggests
itself, that the outward appearance of the hijackers in no way
distinguished them from the rest of the passengers. Only then, would a
person fail to mention any features of the hijackers. This suggests that
the hijackers looked Caucasian.
There is also another fact,
pointing to this. The criminals left a big lead: a rental car was found,
left at the airport out of which a plane was hijacked, filled with the
Koran, and flying manuals in Arabic. But then look: Not a single
organization has claimed responsibility. That means, the terrorists want
to conceal their identity. So, given such professionalism, given such
extreme care, how could such an error be permitted? This hardly fits with
the minute detail of the planning of the action.
All this points to the conclusion,
that the criminals wanted to leave a false trail. The secret services will
pay no attention to ordinary Americans or Europeans, but will look for
Arabs.
Q: But isn't the practice of
self-sacrifice typical of Muslim culture?
Kosyakov: You are quite correct.
But who told you, that the dead hijackers were not Muslims?... Based on
the information we have, analysis might lead us to the conclusion, that
the perpetrators were American or European followers of radical Islam.
Meanwhile, the real criminals are being saved for the next actions. For it
is quite clear, that a combination is being played that has several moves.
Q: You mean, you think there will
be new attacks?
Kosyakov: Unfortunately, I think we
must prepare ourselves for new acts of terror, in a different form, but
just as effective. Our estimates indicate that ships could be used to ram
hydroelectric infrastructure. Imagine a dam being hit by a passenger ship,
or a tanker with two or three thousand tons of oil. It would inundate a
couple of cities with a population of a million and a half, plus burning
oil on top. Or another possibility: train lines under the Hudson River,
which could be exploded from above or below. And water would rush into the
tunnels.
Q: You say the attack will be in
America?
Kosyakov: Yes. First of all, the
terrorists want to demonstrate their skill. Secondly, remember, that
besides the airplanes, also an automobile was blown up. So, what would
have prevented the terrorists from also simultaneously blowing up a couple
of automobiles in Europe, if they are preparing to carry out actions all
over the world? No, the target was America, and the civilian population in
particular.
Q: But some analysts say, that if
Bush had been in the White House on Sept. 11, then the one airplane would
have fallen onto his residence, rather than the Pentagon.
Kosyakov: This is unlikely. In that
case the White House or Pentagon, rather than the civilian population,
would have been the first targets to be hit. For, clearly, after a first
successful attack, the probability of success of the later ones decreases.
As you know, the last of the attacks failed. I mean the plane that crashed
near Pittsburgh. They probably shot it down; and, difficult as it is to
acknowledge, they were right to do so. Thus, the target is the civilian
population. There is such a formula: In democratic countries the
population is responsibility for the actions of their government. This
formula guides the terrorists.
But I want to repeat: the fact,
that the terrorists are not claiming responsibility, indicates that they
will strike again and again. Until the second stage is reached—the stage
of global conflict. This is the goal of all these actions. At that point
they will reveal their authorship, in order to obtain a mobilization
reserve.
Q: And who is it? Bin Laden?
Kosyakov: Hardly. Sure, some
conversation of his was intercepted, where someone reported about hitting
two targets. That would indirectly support his involvement. But he is not
the ideologue. he is too visible. Those who could organize all this are
too clever, to be so visible.
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