Chris Doss The Russia Journal --------------------------- Russian security officials claim leading warlord in Chechnya killed
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's main security service on Thursday claimed that Russian troops have killed one of the leading rebel warlords in Chechnya, a Jordanian who the United States has said may have terrorist connections.
Federal Security Service spokesman Alexander Zdanovich was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying Omar Ibn al Khattab was killed in an operation by Russian forces in Chechnya. He promised to provide documented evidence soon.
The security service's press office confirmed Zdanovich's statement, but gave no other details. There were no independent confirmations of the claim. The security service has released claims about Chechnya in the past that have later been refuted.
Russian officials have called Khattab one of their worst foes in breakaway Chechnya since accusing him of launching an invasion of a neighboring Russian republic in 1999. That invasion and apartment-house bombings around Russia prompted the military to send troops back into Chechnya that year.
U.S. officials have said Khattab and Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev are believed to have financial and other ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov claimed earlier this year that a videotape had recently surfaced showing bin Laden together with Khattab.