«I don�t believe in extirpation of terrorism� � Akif Hasanov

Former KGB officer of the Azerbaijani SSR Akif Hasanov answered Turan questions about reasons and consequences of nine acts of terror in Sri-Lanka with 310 casualties.

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-Which are forces to pursue political goals from Sri-Lanka acts of terror?

- To judge by the fact that it was Catholic churches exploded on the day of Easter, it is most probably terrorists using Islam as a cover, especially as hotels with white tourists staying were exploded. It should be reminded that local special services called a Sri Lankan extremist Moslem organization as trigger group. Note that this organization released no statement on involvement in acts of terror.

It is not difficult to explain the fact of terror in Sri Lanka: a rather large Catholic laity, a successful season for influx of European and American tourists, an abortive security service, etc. - all these factors made it possible to carry on an act shaking the world...

- Who else is to blame for the tragedy in addition to criminals proper?

- The point here is about obvious guilt of the island"s security services: they were aware of the possibility of this action a week before it happened; however, they believed that it would take place at a later date. This is a serious failure, for a theory of combating terrorism provide for taking immediate measures in case of receiving a tip about the danger threatening human lives.

- How far is it possible to happen in our country given the actual state of war between Azerbaijan and Armenia?

- This is hard to say. As a matter of fact, it is dependent upon the work of security services: they must be privy to reliable, opportune, and actual data on a brewing act of terror and take prophylactic measures among potentially predisposed contingent. For this to happen, it is essential to have a many-tentacle spy network, criminal files to keep on suspects on a short leash. In addition, it is necessary to deprive citizens involved in various conflicts as members of illegal paramilitary groups of citizenship and bring them to criminal responsibility. Also, it is important to conduct explanatory work among the population with a special emphasis on items left unattended, including parcels, packages, suspicious persons acting inadequately, etc.

- New waves of publications about "Islamic terrorism" are sure to begin

- On the whole, it"d be incorrect to link terrorism to a certain ethnical or confessional group. The problem is that an act of terror is an attempt of the weak to oppose the strong through agonized efforts. The so-called "Islamic terrorism" began assuming threatening scale following the start of combat operations of "democratic regimes" in backward Middle Eastern and other Moslem countries. These actions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya resulted in the killing and displacing of millions of residents most of whom lost their close relatives and friends.

In considering that the war and terror are rather profitable business, it is natural that there businessmen who avail of sentiments of popular masses. As a matter of fact, the "Islamic terror" has nothing to do with Islam, Wahhabism and other trends. The absolute majority of terrorists has no slightest idea about Islam and put blind trust in what false prophets interpret to them, for these interpretations justify their desire to take revenge and kill.

The same is true of other kinds of nation-hued terrorism, for instance, Armenian, Palestinian, Basque, Irish, etc. Now we are facing a new kind of terrorism, not at the level of states annihilating population of whole countries but the specific "Christian" terrorism, like the one that shot parishioners at New Zealand mosques. In fact, the question is about a mere protest of scoundrels facing the growing Moslem population of their countries. By the way, this sort of terrorism is also imminent in Europe: at the moment, mosques and refugee camps are burnt only...

The most dangerous thing is that terrorism and local wars have turned into a sort of business bringing great profit to those engaged.

- Moscow called for the world to consolidate against terrorism, but the call remained unheard. Is there a way to be protected against this evil?

- I"m pessimistic about allegations of theoreticians holding that terror may be liquidated through the liquidation of leaders of terror groups. The annihilation of Bin Laden, the head of a terrorist organization, by American was followed by the appearance of the "Islamic State", a much more cruel and merciless organization. In other words, this evil cannot be eradicated until massacres in Moslem countries stop. On the whole, every kind of terror has its own causes, so it is essential to fight reasons generating it- otherwise, it cannot be defeated. Note that there are always people capable of heading terror, for "if there is a gap, something will fill it."

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Former KGB lieutenant colonel Akif Hasanov served for Soviet intelligence for about 15 years, worked in western countries, and served in Azerbaijan as well. His memoirs about some KGB-related event have been published in Azerbaijani media and social networks.