Suicide bomber kills 31 at Russia's biggest airport

[Big Don]

Suicide bomber kills 31 at Russia's biggest airport

By Alexei Anishchuk
MOSCOW | Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:57am EST

MOSCOW (Reuters) EXCERPT: - A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people at Russia's biggest airport, Moscow-Domodedovo, on Monday in an attack that bore the hallmarks of militants fighting for an Islamist state in the north Caucasus region.
President Dmitry Medvedev vowed to track down and punish those behind the bombing, which also injured about 130 people during the busy late afternoon.
"The explosion was right near me, I was not hit but I felt the shock wave -- people were falling," said Yekaterina Alexandrova, a translator who was waiting in the crowded arrivals area to meet a client flying in from abroad.
"Smoke started to gather -- there was a lot of smoke," she said by telephone. "Many of the injured went outside on their own in a state of shock. Then they began to announce information about where to exit."
The Kremlin said Medvedev, who has called the insurgency in the north Caucasus the biggest threat to Russia's security, was delaying a trip to the Davos international business forum in Switzerland.
The rebels have vowed to take the bombing campaign to the Russian heartland, hitting transport and economic targets.
"Security will be strengthened at large transport hubs," Medvedev wrote on Twitter. "We mourn the victims of the terrorist attack at Domodedovo airport. The organizers will be tracked down and punished."
Russia's ruble-denominated stock market MICEX fell by nearly two percent following the blast, which ripped through the arrivals hall.
SPREADING INSURRECTION
Twitter users posted mobile video phone footage of dozens of people lying on the floor as thick smoke filled the hall and a fire burned along one wall.
Airport staff were shown using flash lights to pick their way through the chaotic scene taped off immediately after the blast. Later videos showed emergency workers wheeling injured people out of the terminal on stretchers.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who shares power in a 'tandem' arrangement with the less influential Medvedev, has staked his political reputation on quelling rebellion in the north Caucasus.
END EXCERPT
Putin used to run the KG friggin B, this is NOT, going to go over well...

 

[Touch Of Death]

Suicide bomber kills 31 at Russia's biggest airport

By Alexei Anishchuk
MOSCOW | Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:57am EST

MOSCOW (Reuters) EXCERPT: - A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people at Russia's biggest airport, Moscow-Domodedovo, on Monday in an attack that bore the hallmarks of militants fighting for an Islamist state in the north Caucasus region.
President Dmitry Medvedev vowed to track down and punish those behind the bombing, which also injured about 130 people during the busy late afternoon.
"The explosion was right near me, I was not hit but I felt the shock wave -- people were falling," said Yekaterina Alexandrova, a translator who was waiting in the crowded arrivals area to meet a client flying in from abroad.
"Smoke started to gather -- there was a lot of smoke," she said by telephone. "Many of the injured went outside on their own in a state of shock. Then they began to announce information about where to exit."
The Kremlin said Medvedev, who has called the insurgency in the north Caucasus the biggest threat to Russia's security, was delaying a trip to the Davos international business forum in Switzerland.
The rebels have vowed to take the bombing campaign to the Russian heartland, hitting transport and economic targets.
"Security will be strengthened at large transport hubs," Medvedev wrote on Twitter. "We mourn the victims of the terrorist attack at Domodedovo airport. The organizers will be tracked down and punished."
Russia's ruble-denominated stock market MICEX fell by nearly two percent following the blast, which ripped through the arrivals hall.
SPREADING INSURRECTION
Twitter users posted mobile video phone footage of dozens of people lying on the floor as thick smoke filled the hall and a fire burned along one wall.
Airport staff were shown using flash lights to pick their way through the chaotic scene taped off immediately after the blast. Later videos showed emergency workers wheeling injured people out of the terminal on stretchers.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who shares power in a 'tandem' arrangement with the less influential Medvedev, has staked his political reputation on quelling rebellion in the north Caucasus.
END EXCERPT
Putin used to run the KG friggin B, this is NOT, going to go over well...

The KGB is ill equipped to deal with an entire religion. I can see them attacking the regions where the trouble is coming from, but then more innocent people will die. It's not like we attacked Saudi Arabia after some Saudi Arabians attacked us, however.
Sean

 

[Sukerkin]

I never understand how it is that small dissident groups arrive at the conclusion that blowing stuff up and killing ordinary people will get them what they want.

It confuses me terribly as it is clear that such people do not study history very carefully - the only examples I can think of where insurgent actions had any impact politically was those occasions where a country was occupied territory.

 

[Big Don]

I never understand how it is that small dissident groups arrive at the conclusion that blowing stuff up and killing ordinary people will get them what they want.

It confuses me terribly as it is clear that such people do not study history very carefully - the only examples I can think of where insurgent actions had any impact politically was those occasions where a country was occupied territory.

All it will take is one terrorist attack too many, to piss off the powerful, then, the feces will finally hit the oscillator and the terrorists will be wiped out root and branch in such a decisive, violent, final manner as to strike fear in to the hearts of everyone for generations.
Lets hope this was it.

 

[geezer]

All it will take is one terrorist attack too many, to piss off the powerful, then, the feces will finally hit the oscillator and the terrorists will be wiped out root and branch in such a decisive, violent, final manner as to strike fear in to the hearts of everyone for generations.
Lets hope this was it.

If only it were so simple. Then we'd have wiped out terrism a long time ago. No, what's more likely to happen is what always happens. Terrorists manage to get the powerful and the populace so riled up that a war starts and a lot of innocents get hurt or killed. And the terrorists still play their deadly games...

 

[Big Don]

If only it were so simple. Then we'd have wiped out terrism a long time ago. No, what's more likely to happen is what always happens. Terrorists manage to get the powerful and the populace so riled up that a war starts and a lot of innocents get hurt or killed. And the terrorists still play their deadly games...

You may be right, but, I think you seriously underestimate the amount of violence that can be brought to bear by the US or Russia.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I never understand how it is that small dissident groups arrive at the conclusion that blowing stuff up and killing ordinary people will get them what they want.

Because it works. Sometimes.

It confuses me terribly as it is clear that such people do not study history very carefully - the only examples I can think of where insurgent actions had any impact politically was those occasions where a country was occupied territory.

For a thorough discussion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymmetric_warfare

In brief, the use of asymmetric warfare gives a much bigger 'bang for the buck' to the less powerful group in a given conflict. It can backfire, but it can also succeed.

If the Russian public sees the high cost of not granting independence to a breakaway Islamic separatist group as not worth the lives of their citizens, they'll bring pressure on their own government to give the separatists what they want. It depends upon many factors, including the reaction of the citizens, and the ability they have to influence the actions of their government.

 

[Archangel M]

The problem is that we rarely seem to see any terrorist "demands" that they are hoping to achieve. Other than "wipe Israel off of the map". Or "install Islamic law" in a western society. Unless thats the only message we are allowed to see.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

The problem is that we rarely seem to see any terrorist "demands" that they are hoping to achieve. Other than "wipe Israel off of the map". Or "install Islamic law" in a western society. Unless thats the only message we are allowed to see.

Whether terrorist or simply asymmetrical warfare, often the 'demands' have little to do with what they want or will accept in order to stand down.

Saying "we want to wipe Israel off the map" is good media noise. It gets attention, it rouses rabble, it makes good press. What will they accept? Something far less, but they're going to say that, are they?

That's not to say that there are not mad dogs out there who are just bug-nucking futs and *do* want such things. Most of them, however, have a real goal in mind that they believe can be achieved.

 

[Blade96]

was he a chechen or have connection with em?

also, violance and terrorism is all they know, in a region which has no history of what we consider democracy especially considering the governments russia had over the centuries LOL!

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

The KGB is ill equipped to deal with an entire religion. I can see them attacking the regions where the trouble is coming from, but then more innocent people will die. It's not like we attacked Saudi Arabia after some Saudi Arabians attacked us, however.
Sean

But they don't have to deal with an entire religion, remember. Just a relatively small number of terrorists who use their religion as an excuse.

 

[Tez3]

The death toll is 35 dead and 116 injured. Among the dead were one Briton, Gordon Cousland and one German.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12284088

 

[CoryKS]

All it will take is one terrorist attack too many, to piss off the powerful, then, the feces will finally hit the oscillator and the terrorists will be wiped out root and branch in such a decisive, violent, final manner as to strike fear in to the hearts of everyone for generations.
Lets hope this was it.

Doubt it. If Beslan didn't do it, nothing will.

 

[Empty Hands]

Doubt it. If Beslan didn't do it, nothing will.

No joke. Thinking it will betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of human character.

 

[Archangel M]

Beslan.

If theres ever been a refutation of the "one mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist" canard it's Beslan. How can any "cause" justify an action like THAT?

 

[Touch Of Death]

But they don't have to deal with an entire religion

One mis-step, and they are.
Sean

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

Beslan.

If theres ever been a refutation of the "one mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist" canard it's Beslan. How can any "cause" justify an action like THAT?

I know. After all, look at those terrorists called that American's called the "Founding Fathers".

Or, my goodness, the French Resistance in WWII.

And William Wallace during the First War of Scottish Independence actually is reported as having used the skin of an Englishman to make a baldrick for his sword.

I mean, after all, all of these people's enemies called themselves terrorists, but their friends and allies called them heroes.

It's not a canard. It is a statement of reality. We can argue tactics and morality, but let's not use that to get confused with it.

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

One mis-step, and they are.
Sean

That's ridiculous. Just because they would attack those Muslims who attacked them doesn't mean that the entire people of a religion would rise up against them or support their destruction.

Would it?

 

[Big Don]

That's ridiculous. Just because they would attack those Muslims who attacked them doesn't mean that the entire people of a religion would rise up against them or support their destruction.

Would it?

Not if there are as few terrorist Muslims as we've been told and if Islam is a religion of peace as we've been told...