22:37, 28 November 2006

Separatists confirm Abu Havs' death in Dagestan

One of Arab-language separatists' web-sites has confirmed the death of a foreign mercenary Abu Havs in Dagestan. At least five foreign Islamic Internet resources, which usually disseminate Al-Qaeda's statements, have re-published this news message from the web-site, the "Associated Press" informs.

In their turn, the Chechen separatists maintain that they have not yet received any confirmation of Abu Havs' death from local field militants' commanders.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already reported that Jordanian Abu Havs, killed in Dagestan town of Khasavyurt on November 26, was one of the basic financiers of Chechen militants and a representative of the Al-Qaeda international terrorist organization in the North Caucasus. At least, this is the opinion of Dagestan power agencies. According to one of the sources, Abu Havs was sent to Chechnya, together with several other Arabian mercenaries, by Osama Ben Laden back at the first Chechen war.