BASAYEV CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL ON CHECHEN WAR.

BASAYEV CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL ON CHECHEN WAR.

ShamilBasayev, the leader of the Chechen raid on Budennovsk, told Komsomolskayapravda July 19 that an international tribunal should decide"who is to blame for the tragedy, Basayev or Russian politicians."In other comments, Basayev said that Chechnya would "neverseparate completely from Russia because of our close economicand geographic ties," but he warned that "as long asthe current regime is in power in Russia, we will never be underit." Basayev said he had no interest in running for a seatin the country’s parliament, and would continue his struggle forChechen independence even if a majority of voters in the Chechenelections called for union with Russia. The paper noted that ithad been able to conduct the interview with Basayev in Chechnyadespite the inability of Russian police and military units tofind him. In addition to his legal problems with Moscow, Basayevnow faces charges in Stavropol for his alleged involvement ina highjacking of a Soviet plane four years ago, Moskovsky komsomoletsreported July 18,

Officials Say Gruesome Murder Work of Provocateur or Madman.