GROZNY. July 23 (Interfax-AVN) - The Chechen Interior Ministry will undergo a large-scale purge in the near future, according to the newspaper Vozrozhdeniye Respubliki (the Republic's Revival) published by the Chechen military commandant's office in Grozny.
The publication says Russian special services have lately received new information that rebels and their accomplices have infiltrated into Chechen Interior Ministry structures. An attempt by members of rebel units led by Shamil Basayev and Rizvan Bachagayev to enlist in the Chechen riot police unit, commanded by Major Musa Gazimagomadov, has recently been prevented, the newspaper reads.
To confirm that there are traitors in the Chechen police, the newspaper quotes Russian Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Chekalin as saying that guerrillas regularly attempt to infiltrate into police ranks, and 700 people have already been sacked at the probation stage for treachery, double-dealing, and professional incompetence.
Commenting on this information to Interfax, Chechen Security Council Secretary Rudnik Dudayev said these occurrences are a consequence of inappropriate work by recruiters, who, in trying to recruit as many people as possible, often forget to pay attention to the professional training of policemen.
Moreover, Dudayev said many more people have been sacked from the police than indicated in the article. In 2001 alone, 1,200 people were kicked out of the police, he noted. However, Dudayev said, the principal reason for their dismissal was their incompetence, rather than treachery or connections with guerrillas.
He confirmed that there are sporadic cases of treachery among policemen. However true fighters work in the Chechen police as well and they risk their lives everyday, the secretary stressed. About 100 Chechen policemen have been killed and much more wounded in engagements with rebels this year alone.
"We get information on murders of police officers almost every day," Dudayev said.