KHANKALA/MOSCOW. April 30 (Interfax-AVN)- Russian special services have declined to comment on the theory that Chechen field commander Khattab was allegedly poisoned by substances contained in a letter he received.
"We have made public all possible information. The most important thing is that the terrorist Khattab is no longer alive. There is no need to comment on the theories of how he died," a spokesman for the Russian special services told Interfax on Tuesday.
The spokesman said that foreign theories about Khattab's death are most likely to be based on a videotape sent by Chechen rebels abroad. "This videotape was made by Khattab's bodyguards who wanted to justify themselves of his death. This also should be taken into account," the special services official said.
Meanwhile, the military reported that in the few months before his death, Khattab and his entourage were hiding in mountain caves in southern Chechnya near the village of Isai- Yurt.
"Khattab felt that the circle was tightening, and took additional security precautions. There was some information about his possible whereabouts, but it was difficult "to target" him by artillery or air strikes," an official of the Russian military base in Khankala near Grozny told Interfax.
The sources told Interfax that the videotape featuring the dead Khattab and his funeral was made on March 19-20. This videotape was intercepted by special services in the second half of April. Khattab's personal bodyguard, nicknamed Elsi, was trying to flee with this tape. He was later killed in an exchange of gunfire.