Outside the Beltway

Four Russian Diplomats Murdered (Video, Photos)

James Joyner · Monday, June 26, 2006 · 4 comments

Four Russian diplomats were murdered yesterday by Muslim terrorists.

CNN:

A group linked to al Qaeda said it has killed four Russian diplomats it had held hostage, according to a statement and video on a Web site Sunday. The group — the Mujahedeen Shura Council — said it had beheaded three of the men and shot one to death. A video also posted on the Web site appeared to show one of the men being beheaded, another man already beheaded and a third man being shot in the head. The fourth man did not appear in the video.

Here’s the English language statement from the website:

This is a video showing ” the execution of the Russian diplomats according to Allah’s rule ” , we present it in order to heal breasts of the believing people , and to take revenge of our brothers and sisters suffering from torture , killing and making them homeless by the infidel Russian government , the brothers when they slaughter the enemies of Allah they don’t make any heresy, it is the eternal law of Allah in his book until the Judgment Day, and to be a light that illuminate the glory’s way to the belivers — anywhere and anytime-: [Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you, you transgress likewise against him. ] .

And what the mendicancy ‘s savants will talk about the prohibition of slaughtering of the infidels etc…, we tell them : This is Allah’s book between us and you, so give us your proof if you are truthful, in spite of the fact that we know in advance you have left it behind , and There is no might and no power but with Allâh.

There are many links given for downloading the video but most, free services, have already taken them down. The exception is http://www.quickdump.com/files/891159547.html which is currently reporting “Too many users are downloading right now….” The file in question is 6.63MB.

[UPDATE: Here’s the video.]

via email from Rusty Shackleford, whose site appears to still be down from the DDOS attack it suffered last week.

Here’s a photo via AP:

Meanwhile, Olivier Guitta wonders how the Russians will respond.

Russia has been known for dealing with sometimes excessive force to terrorists. And not only with Chechen rebels.For example, in September 1985 when four Russian diplomats were kidnapped in Beirut by Hezbollah, the then USSR responded in kind by first abducting a family member of an Hezbollah leader and then killing him very very gruesomely. The hostages were given back right away and Russia was never targeted in Lebanon again. Will Russia do the same today?

It wouldn’t surprise me. A violent response to terrorists can be quite effective, although countering terrorism with terrorism (the murder of innocents) is repugnant.