Istanbul: Thousands of Muslims gather for funeral of 3 Chechens killed by Russian special services

19 September 2011

Turkish news sources reported that on September 18, 2011, thousands of Muslims gathered in the Fatih Mosque in the heart of Istanbul for funeral ceremony for the three Chechen asylum seekers, assassinated by Russian special forces on Friday after collective prayer in the Zeytinburnu district.

The funeral was attended by the families of the victims, Mr. Fetullah Erbas, a former Turkish MP from the Saadet Party, members of the Humanitarian Defense and Fraternity Association (IMKANDER), the Free Thought and Education Rights Association (OZGURDER), the Solidarity Association for Human Rights and Oppressed People (MAZLUMDER), the Human Rights and Freedoms Platform, the Free Jerusalem Platform, HAY-DER, MUSTAZAF-DER, as well as by Turkish citizens and Chechens.

Dozens of journalists covered the event, because another murder of Chechens aroused much public attention in Turkey.

The Istanbul authorities and the police provided full support for funeral arrangements.

After the Janaza prayer, the Muslims hoisted flags and raised posters of Dzhokhar Dudayev and other Chechen leaders, and lot of banners, and directly charged Putin with the murder of the Chechens.

They periodically chanted takbirs (Allah-u Akbar: "Allah is almighty") and slogans. The most wide-spread slogans were "The assasins will be punished", "The puppet Kadyrov will be punished", "Our Martyrs are our honor", "Greetings to the Caucasus, continue with the resistance" and "Muslims wake up and support the Caucasus".

It is to be recalled that the three Chechens, Berg-Khazh Musayev, Rustam Altemirov and Zaurbek Amriyev (Martyrs, Insha'Allah), were killed last Friday at 03:30 pm.

All three were killed by a hitman with a silenced pistol after Friday prayers at a time when they wanted to get into their car, parked on the side of the road.

According to eyewitnesses, the killer was alone. He was waiting for them. Seizing the moment, the killer approached the Chechens from behind and fired at Rustam Altemirov and Zaurbek Amriyev.

Berg-Khazh Musayev managed to evade a third shot. The killer missed, but with the second shot he wounded Musayev and with the third, on the head, he killed him.

He then made control shots on the heads of Altemirov and Amriyev. After that, the killer got into a black car (Mercedes), which was waiting for him, and left. After driving for several blocks, he abandoned the car.

As it turned out, the car was rented in the name of a Russian citizen with Russian name and surname. Two more Russians were with him.

The KC sources report that the Istanbul police believe the killer of the three Chechens is the same man who previously killed the former representative of Dokku Umarov abroad, Musa Atayev, in February 2009.

There is also information that the Turkish authorities have a photograph of the killer and information on his two accomplices. Their place of residence and movements were established. A group of criminals has been preparing the killing since 4 September 2011.

It is not to be excluded that the weapon was handed to the killers by the Russian Embassy in Turkey, as in the case of the terrorist attack against the former president of the CRI, Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, in Qatar in 2003.

One of the Chechens killed on Friday, Berg-Khazh Musayev (Emir Khamzat), was a close associate of the Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, Dokku Abu Usman. He came to Turkey about 1.5 years ago for a medical treatment, after he was injured during military actions in Chechnya. He was the main target for the killers.

The two other young Chechens were also undergoing a medical treating in Turkey.

The Turkish media highlighted in their reports that the killed Chechens were living in very poor conditions and their life in Istanbul was very ascetic. Thus, according to the police, Berg-Khazh Musayev lived in a flat with a sofa bed as the only furniture, and had only some potatoes, bread and yogurt in the kitchen.

Source: Kavkaz Center.
Link: http://2r2tz6wzqh7gaji7.onion.to/eng/content/2011/09/19/15144.shtml.