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Suicide bomber kills 35 at Moscow airport

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Interesting that last week, Ruud Gullit was named manager of the Grozny soccer team in the Russian league. Bring in a big money foreign manager, show that things are returning to normal seems to have been the idea. If the bomber(s) turn out to be Chechen, looks like that was more PR than reality.

Also, these terrorists should be called "Chechen" terrorists, not "Islamic" terrorists. This stuff goes back decades, long before the rise of Islamic extremism.

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Yes I agree this is terrorism for independence not in a name of religion.

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What ever the Russians are doing, they must be doing it all wrong and I hope and pray this kind of shit never happens here in Japan nor in the USA etc..RIP dead folk at Moscow airport. PS Putin has lots and lots of BLOOD on his hands and time for the Ruskys to get the hell of of the Chechen Republic.

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If an Islamic fundamentalist is behind this, I sure hope we don't get the usual mindless 'blame all Muslims/Islam' claptrap we've been getting way too much of in recent years. RIP the innocent victims.

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We live with the false sense of security that our airport checks and practices will somehow protect us from terrorism. Yet I have long expected that future attacks would not be on airplanes, but in other places where people gather.

This is a very sad validation of that fear.

Until we as a global people start to address the root causes of terrorism, we cannot expect to be safe from it. Poverty, political repression, religious conflict and other key issues must be universally approached by all societies if we are to lessen the risk. Force will not accomplish this. Wars will not accomplish this.

The only hope is dialogue, changes in how the world works economically and politically. And concerted efforts between faiths and people to tear down the barriers that separate us and to build upon the things that unite us.

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Chechenya, maybe, but you can't call them Chechen until you know which Islamist state breakaway group they come from. As the article says, (or) "other predominantly Muslim provinces in the southern Caucasus region".

How about "South Caucasus fighters" then? They are all fighting for an Islamic caliphate.

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And what did this cowardly act achieve? Nothing... Why are terrorists "Islamic militants" so selfish and stupid?

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PS The Sydney Morning Herald is saying the perpetrator was reported to be from "Northern Caucasus", and besides Chechnya mentions Ingushetia and Dagestan as two other states.

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It's not guaranteed that all the people they killed and maimed were "Russian". It will have been a mix of people, including Muslims for sure and maybe even some true believers. Assisted suicide then?

When you see people making bombs with ingredients learnt over the internet, for maximum hurt and pain, and for maximum civilian collateral damage, and when you sense their pleasure at the thought of what they are doing, you have to wonder what humanity has come to...

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nandakamanda:

" When you see people making bombs with ingredients learnt over the internet, for maximum hurt and pain, and for maximum civilian collateral damage, and when you sense their pleasure at the thought of what they are doing, you have to wonder what humanity has come to... "

I think you completely misunderstand the psychological nature of these suicide bombings. In their minds, the bombers consider themselves "martyrs" who are guaranteed a place in paradise, because they die in the fight against the enemies of their god.

It is a position that we would call noble if we agreed with their premises. So, you are not talking about unhuman or evil people here, only true believers.

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I hope that Sepp Blatter's oil millions are sitting comfortably in his pocket this morning. A dictatorship continually under attack from independence terrorism being awarded high-profile sporting events.

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RIP

WilliB: I hope one day you'll graduate from "religion war" to "power struggle and manipulation" view.

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terrorism is stupid.

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@goddog, as opposed to the meaningless wars started by the superpowers in the name of (i still cant figure that one out)..The worst kind of terrorism are the ones caused by superpowers against the poorer countries that have only rocks or AK47 as their ammunition that cause 1000's if not millions in the case of Iraq.

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tumbledry:

" I hope one day you'll graduate from "religion war" to "power struggle and manipulation" view. "

Where is the difference? If you believe that the world should be subdued under your religious laws and are willing to die for it, that IS a power struggle by anybody`s definition.

And the preachers who convince the suicide martyrs that they´ll go to heave are surely practising manipulation.

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@lovejapan21, if you can't tell the difference between terrorism (intentional destruction of innocent people that have no attachment to your cause) and war (intentional destruction aimed at enemy combatants) the you really must be lacking sense. Shooting someone that is pointing a gun at you with an intent to kill is completely different than a person killing someone who out just trying to buy groceries. Get a clue.

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Terrorism is terrorism. It reminds me of a veteran that made a speech in front of some students. "I love freedom, and I hate war. But if I had the choice between losing my freedom or fighting a war to protect my freedoms I'd go to war." Sure its easy to say "they're not terrorists" if you really want to be an ignorant pacifist since they're fighting for what they believe their freedoms to be, but what is the point if you assaulting and killing people that don't have anything to do with stopping your freedom in the first place?

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Horrific,

However - JapanToday - Even if this was the way the scene appeared, don't you think the phrase...

'arrivals terminal into a smoky, blood-spattered hall of dismembered bodies, screaming survivors and abandoned suitcases'

... is a little too vivid?

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I don't really think I'll ever understand they they insist on targeting airports. Out of all the things in the world they could target they always seem to go for the one with the greatest amount of security. And it's not like people are going to stop flying....it's a necessity in life. It's just seems exponentially easier to target a random market and do it with much, much less effort. In the end they just want the headline so what's the difference?

SushiSake: If an Islamic fundamentalist is behind this, I sure hope we don't get the usual mindless 'blame all Muslims/Islam' claptrap we've been getting way too much of in recent years. RIP the innocent victims.

This coming from a man who links every possible incident in a way to "blame all Republicans." The hypocrisy meter explodes.

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The number of dead is going to surpass 35. The killer is being described as Arab-looking, but from the Chechen region.It is overwhelmingly Muslim. Russian authorities found his head separate from his body.

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SuperLib:

" I don't really think I'll ever understand they they insist on targeting airports. "

Too difficult to get on a plane, so an airport lobby is the next best thing. Don´t expect this to be the last time.

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Also, these terrorists should be called "Chechen" terrorists, not "Islamic" terrorists. This stuff goes back decades, long before the rise of Islamic extremism.

Chechen terrorists if they're fighting for a secular Chechen state. Islamist terrorists if they're fighting for an Islamic Chechen state.

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How do they know it was a suicide bomber?

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Sabiwabi,

It says in the first line the suicide bomber blew themself up thats a fair indication

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AdamB:

" It says in the first line the suicide bomber blew themself up thats a fair indication "

I would say it is a pretty strong indication.

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How do they know it was a suicide bomber?

the bomb was packed with nails and ball bearings for maximum carnage, and detonated at peak hour. It is the sudden jihad MO.

The threats had already been made.

And of course before this there was the Moscow Theatre incident (scores killed) and the horrific school takeover (I forge the name of the town) where the enraged Islamists killed over 300 CHILDREN.

Tomorrow or next week it will be another country, a town or a city that will wish they had never let these ppl in.

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I'm from Moscow myself, and this attack makes me want to kill those bastards who did it. Though I can't help but wonder about tightened security. Isn't it a little too late? On the other hand, it's not like they can do anything else for now.

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By the way, for those who talk about Chechen Republic. I respect your opinion, but I think that you're wrong. It's not about independence or religion. Even though suicide bombers are most likely fanatics, those who organize such attacks are doing that not for beliefs, but for money. Money that is bathed in blood of innocents.

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TenroShin. Thank you for your input. You mention 'for money'. What money are you talking about? Are the organizers wanting sponsorship, or more donations, or support from al-Qaida paymasters?

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nandakandamanda, I can see why you ask that. What money am I talking about? I'm talking about the same money that is used for buying weapons and hiring mercenaries,for example. They can't get all that money from nowhere, can they?

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Oh, I just remembered something interesting.

elbudamexicano: and time for the Ruskys to get the hell of of the Chechen Republic.

For your information, Chechen people and government don't want to be separated from Russia. But it must be our, Russians' lie, huh?

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Again a barbaric and cowardly act. All my deepest condolences to the victims' families.

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I'm from Moscow myself, and this attack makes me want to kill those bastards who did it.

But who? They still do not know who is behind the attack. It appears they don't even know whether its a suicide bomber. This AP article says so, but they don't mention what its based on. Other news sources just mention that its the most probable scenario, but no solid evidence.

This attack could very well be in retaliation for Russia's recent decision to keep that gangster in prison; maybe Berezovsky is behind this attack.

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SoilidariTea,

No need to forge any names. It was Beslan in North Ossetia. Of the 334 dead, around 60% were children. Due to censorship in Russia, a complete history of the siege has not been made available yet. Based on a summary from wikipedia, the shootout between rebels, soldiers, and civilians on the third day of the hostage crisis was likely the cause of a majority of the fatalities.

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sabiwabi, it was indeed suicide bomber. Russia 24 is a news channel, and there are news every hour with updates on this attack. And, sorry, but... Berezovsky? That's just... I don't even know what to say. It's just impossible. And about gangster... I think that they would've done it differently and would've targeted government workers who are responsible for that decision.

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Tomorrow or next week it will be another country, a town or a city that will wish they had never let these ppl in.

Try to stay on topic. These people were not let in, they are people who want out. Condemning the attack is one thing, pretending that it is part of something else is another thing.

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I'm from Moscow myself, and this attack makes me want to kill those bastards who did it.

Well i think u should calm down and try to find solutions to the entire problem. If we supposed that the bomber was from Chechnya then after his or her house got bombed and his family killed by Russian soldiers then he may go like :

I'm from CHECHNYA myself, and this attack makes me want to kill those bastards who did it.

Violence brings more violence.

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it was indeed suicide bomber. Russia 24 is a news channel, and there are news every hour with updates

So what do they base that claim on?

This AP article also claims it, but offer no evidence.

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Could be because it is a news article and not a court of law with all evidence that would entail. If you have another theory, as it seems you do, why not just voice it instead of repeating a seemingly rhetorical question?

The Russians think it was a suicide bomber. I assume they are correct. If you have evidence to the contrary, by all means, bring it into the conversation. This certainly would not be the first Chechen suicide bomber and probably will not be the last.

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The Russians think it was a suicide bomber.

What I heard is that the suicide bombing is just what they think is the most likely of the various possible scenarios, but they are not certain.

Usually, when evidence points in one direction, they mention the evidence.

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The head bouncing along the floor is the first and usual sign of a suicide bomber. As the explosives vest goes off, the head tends to pop off. They found a head and they are busy trying to reconstruct its features right now.

Two conflicting theories seem to be doing the rounds. One is that a woman shouted 'I'll kill you!' as she was stopped at a checkpoint, opened her suitcase and set it off, and the man beside her had his head blown off. The second theory is that it was a lone man who self-destructed and took the merry road to Hell; thus the head.

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Sabiwabi, I owe you an apology. You are right it wasnt a suicide bombing. It was a botched suicide bombing (see attached news report) "Originally the bombing had been described as a suicide attack, but there have been reports the bombs may have gone off early, inadvertently killing the attackers". And guess what they even go on to say it bears the hallmark of pro Islamic Chenchen terrorist.

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Usually, when evidence points in one direction, they mention the evidence.

It really seems as though you want this to be something other than what the Russian government thinks it is. Why is that?

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@atamant, because that's what govent's do, they brainwash the masses to legitimize something else. Do WMD's ring a bell?

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