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 http://wps.wm.ru:8101/chitalka/terror/en/index.html#2002031802

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BORIS BEREZOVSKY CHALLENGES VLADIMIR PUTIN
Yury Glukhov
Slovo, No. 9, March 8-14, 2002, p. 2
The Prosecutor General's Office is still "investigating" Boris Berezovsky's alleged links to a number of recent crimes in Chechnya, and his alleged connection with the abduction of General Shpigun. But the elusive Berezovsky only laughs at Russian detectives, holding news conferences in London.
Boris Berezovsky held a news conference in London. The exiled tycoon promised in advance to shake the world with a sensation: to provide the evidenced of involvement of the Federal Security Service (FSB) to 1999 explosions of residential apartment buildings in Moscow.

Judging by the languid reaction of the world media the sensation failed. A "secret witness" who is said to have taken out of Russia documentation proving the guilt of the security services has not been a sensation either. This man, whose name was kept in secrecy, turned to be Nikita Chekulin, former acting director of the Roskonversvzryvtsentr research institute, who stated that in 1999-2000 his institute bought large amounts of hexogen explosives.

Among the documents presented at the press conference, there was also the book "An Assault on Russia" by Yury Felshtinsky and Alexander Litvinenko, a renegade KGB officer serving among Berezovsky's personal security guards. The subtitle of the book says: "Terrorist acts, abductions, and contract killings organized by the FSB of the Russian Federation." The book was published on the orders of Berezovsky, just like the "Killing Russia" documentary. Journalists invited to the press conference saw a ten-minute clip from the documentary. The documentary was made by two French producers, who are said to have spent three years gathering and analyzing information and official announcements, and looking for witnesses.

If the presented "evidence" is doubtful, the selfish purposes of Berezovsky's action are obvious. The West has treated Boris Berezovsky with disgust, as a Mafia man, who had made his fortune by robbing Russia and who is laundering this dirty money now. Now he is trying to create himself an image as a human rights defender, who is suffering for his political views.

The challenge Berezovsky is sending out to the Kremlin is serious. As Berezovsky said in his interview with "Le Figaro": "Putin and I are involved in a fight to the death. It is necessary to destroy the KGB organization forever, to destroy this gangster organization...." According to Berezovsky, destruction of the KGB means overthrowing Vladimir Putin.

In this war, Boris Berezovsky relies on the Russian "fifth column". Berezovsky says the majority of Russians have a slave mentality and they are only glad when someone gives them orders. In Berezovsky's opinion, the regional elite is waiting for the right time to strike, and so is big business.

These calculations have substantial grounds. Berezovsky's supporters, Duma deputies Sergei Yushenkov and Yuly Rybakov, members of tbe Liberal Russia party, participated in the London news conference. Berezovsky's base, from which he attacks Putin, is economic, financial, informational and political influence areas in Russia, as well as his links with the Family and Yeltsin's surrounding.

According to Berezovsky, he has "shares of oil companies, Sibneft is among them, shares of gas processing companies". Berezovsky boasts, "I am the owner of the Logovaz firm and of the media, including the Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, and Novye Izvestia papers. Besides, I co-own the Nashe Radio Moscow radio station together with Rupert Murdock. I also own real estate and aluminum plants."

Berezovsky is a master of intrigue and he has already imposed his rules of the game on Putin's team; moreover, they are playing on Putin's ground. The Kremlin's responses are passive, and the Prosecutor General's Office only states its intention to declare Berezovsky internationally wanted. The Prosecutor General's Office is still "investigating" Berezovsky's alleged links with a number of recent crimes in Chechnya, and his alleged links with the abduction of General Shpigun, the Interior Ministry envoy to Chechnya. It should be noted that Berezovsky had already received a summons in connection with the Aeroflot criminal case, and was declared wanted nationwide. But the elusive Berezovsky only laughs at Russian detectives, holding public news conferences.

What is happening here? Does that mean that too many officials are involved in his dirty affairs? Or does that mean that too many of them are caught on the tycoon's financial hook?