From Fox News, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm.
MOSCOW — A rebel-linked Web site said Friday that Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev had claimed responsibility for the power outage that plunged Moscow into chaos two days earlier."Our sabotage units delivered a major blow to one of the most important life-support systems of the Russian empire," the Kavkazcenter site quoted Basayev as saying in an e-mail.
Russian officials have blamed worn-out equipment for Wednesday's power failure, which began with an explosion and fire at a 40-year-old substation.
The Federal Security Service declined comment on Friday's claim and telephone calls to the Industry and Energy Ministry were not answered.
But Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko was quoted earlier in the day as rejecting speculation that a terrorist act was responsible for the blackout.
"I think that this is not a terrorist act. We are just using old equipment, from 1958, which needs to be replaced," Khristenko told the RIA-Novosti news agency, the Gazeta.ru news Web site reported.
The blackout affected millions of people in Moscow and the surrounding region, stranding subway riders and trolley passengers, and leaving entire neighborhoods in the dark...
al queda trained/backed/armed, whahhabi/saudi funded, chechens and islamistofacists from all parts of the world -
one more indicator of world wide islamists terror operations - which we ignored -8 years ago Russians tried to tell us about the "multi-national" terrorists in their backyard - we did not listen - until 9/2001 (it was not PC before then)
chechens islamofacists control large part of crime (extortion, prostitution, drugs, protection racket, etc.) in Moscow/Russia - money goes to world wide terror network
I'm not convinced, guys. Turning off the electrical in Moscow sounds a little high-tech for people who have yet to master indoor plumbing.
No muslims. No mosques.
Meanwhile, Putin is supplying Iran with nuclear technology, so I have no sympathy for the Russian government while they continue to play both sides against the middle.
If they get squeezed, in the interim, maybe they'll finally cut the geopolitical crap and join Civilization against the 7th century Imperialistic Islamists for real.