Russian president Vladimir Putin says over the next year he will reinforce Moscow’s struggle against terrorism in the Russian federation’s embattled breakaway republic of Chechnya.
Putin’s comments Tuesday came as Russian troops surrounded the village of Chechen-Aul to conduct house-to-house searches for Muslim rebels and rebel supplies.
Meanwhile, a court in the neighboring Russian republic of Daghestan sentenced Chechen separatist leader Salman Raduyev to life in prison on charges of terrorism and murder.
Raduyev is the most prominent Chechen rebel leader ever tried by Russia. Russia’s top prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov personally directed the case and repeatedly demanded a life sentence in a maximum security prison.
Raduyev is best known for leading the January 1996 raid on the Daghestan city of Kizlyar, in which 78 people died. He and other rebels took hundreds of people hostage at a local hospital.
Three of Raduyev’s associates were also convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 15 years.
The trial began on November 15. Police and security forces were placed on alert for terrorist attacks during the trial.
