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Who Is Behind Terrorism in Azerbaijan?
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Elkhan Mirzoyev of Azerbaijan Today interviews Mikhail Trepashkin, Investigator and counter-terrorism expert and an ex-FSS (Federal Safety Service) collaborator. Mikhail Ivanovich Trepashkin is best known for blowing the whistle in 1998, when the ex-FSS (Federal Safety Service) collaborator, Aleksander Litvinenko, and his friends freely admitted that the top leadership ordered the FSS them to murder Boris Berezovskiy, the celebrated Russian Oligarch who later gained political asylum in the UK Following Mikhail Trepashkin's arrest earlier this year as a terrorist, Tatyana Trepashkina, his wife and friends said in a newspaper report printed in 'The Guardian' that he was arrested because he told how the FSS (Federal Safety Service) was responsible for the apartment building explosions in Moscow that killed 246 people. If true, then it is obvious that this terrorist act was an integral part of deadly ploys intended to implicate Chechen fighters in terrorism, and justify a deadly war and to suppress public outcry.
Mikhail Trepashkin is also alleged to have been working as an espionage agent for British Secret Service, MI5. His wife said that "The Russians were very concerned about the information that my husband was gathering. It is alleged that in 1999 he was under the direct order of MI5 "to discredit" the Russian Security Service of FSS (Federal Security Service)". Relatives of the former security officer confirm that his allegations of being tortured in prison.. In January 2002 investigators from the Military Prosecutor's office, together with collaborators of the Security Service FSS (The Main Administration of National Security) RF, searched Trepashkins's house for evidence pertaining to Litvinenko's whereabouts (at that time, he had been enjoying political asylum in England for a year).
Investigators found nothing relating to Litvinenko, but removed more than 1000 items, including documents of the KGB, Ministry of Security RF, and FSS (Federal Safety Service), as well as finding 22 supporters. It was clear that some of the evidence gathered was highly confidential, and the Public Prosecutor's office felt that Trepashkin was abusing his power by keeping such confidential material at home. After discovering information containing government secrets, the investigators concluded that Trepashkin had sent 5 reports containing the FSS's (Federal Safety Service) methods of work to FSS (Federal Safety Service) Colonel Victor Shebalin (also the 'man in the mask' participant of the scandalous press-conference). Trepashkin denied the charges, calling them 'absurd'. Economic Security Service, such as Anatoliy Yakovenko and Yevgeniy Lzhevskiy". The group was rather large, but I explained the situation to them and prepared the documents. We needed ten days to analyze the information and form a clear picture and directly after that we began to realize our plans. This interview was given by Trepashkin 3 days before his arrest and it was his last interview. AT: We know your history but please tell us about terrorism in Azerbaijan? MT: Terrorism in Azerbaijan is closely linked to Armenian governmental policies with deep roots reaching to the end of the 19th century. Self-determination is not as it is presented in reality and the slogans used by the Armenians toward the goal of creating a "Greater Armenia" carries much political baggage and effectively violates international law. Remembering and taking "Revenge for the Turkish genocide" is center-stage to current events and this misguided mindset provides a cover of sympathy for terrorism and the repeated violation of human rights and international norms. AT: Your training and professional case history? MT: "In May 1994 I began working in the administration of Internal Security FSS (Federal Safety Service) in the Russian federation and I was soon instructed to take over the investigation concerning the bombings in Azerbaijan and Kislovodsk in the south of Russia. My boss was clear in what my job description was, "Matters are very serious and something needs to be done about it as soon as possible. Terrorists kill people, so go!"
"There were other FSS (Federal Safety Service) collaborators working on this project before me. People involved in the bombings were found in Kaliningrad, in the south of Russia, and in Moscow. AT: Who worked with you in this investigation? MT: I needed specialists who were able to ask questions tactfully and I was able to form a group of men I knew from another office. In general, I chose former investigators working in the Economic Security Service, such as Anatoliy Yakovenko and Yevgeniy Lzhevskiy".
The group was rather large, but I explained the situation to them and prepared the documents. We needed ten days to analyze the information and form a clear picture and directly after that we began to realize our plans. AT: Can you give some real example of the cases? MT: Jan Oganisyan was arrested in Moscow; he had been an ex-KGB collaborator in USSR, and was then working in the administration of National Security of Armenia, as Head of Special Operations in Azerbaijan - we regarded this body as a terrorist organization".
"Oganesyan had several different passports and it was proven that they had been made by Armenia's Special Services. He had a second or third wife living in Moscow and a child living in Dmitrovskiy. At the time of his arrest, enough explosives to bomb a whole block of flats in Moscow were found in the child's bed. We then uncovered an ammunition depot in Slavska city, Kaliningrad, as well as dynamite and a delay mechanism intended for a mine in Mineralniye Vodi (Mineral Waters)". AT: Give us some background on what is going on with Armenian terrorists? MT: In the 1970's there was created a number of independent terrorist cells, with ASALA, Armenian Special Services being the most active and even when the Soviet Union existed, ASLA committed acts of terrorism directed against Turkish subjects. This terrorism was carried out with the approval of the Kremlin and with the collapse of the Soviet Union the target of special operations was changed to Azerbaijan under a new battlecry: "The fight for self-determination of Armenians in Karabagh". AT: Who supported such operations? MT: There were many supporters, both near and far. There are radical organizations established by Armenian Diasporas with their vast money, political clout and networks. Together they have formed groups such as "DASHNAKSUTYUN"-ASALA, MAQ, "Armenian Union" and the "Armenian Freedom Front". The money came from many sources: Iran, Lebanon, France, USA, Russia and Greece. The Armenian government allowed these organizations to freely operate, granting asylum for sought after activists, providing them with money, false documents, transport and weapons. AT: Can you give special examples of terrorists' acts? MT: A total of 29 major terrorist attacks were made by Armenian terrorists in Nagorniy Karabagh between 1989 and 1994, which including the shooting down of two civilian helicopters and two airliners. Armenian terrorists targeted public transport "soft targets" which connected Azerbaijan villages in Karabagh with the rest of Azerbaijan. On 16th September 1989, a bus traveling from Tbilisi to Baku bus was blown up, killing 5 people and injuring 25. The next month the Shusha-Baku bus was blown up, killing two and injuring 13 others and the next year, on 10th August 1990, another terrorist group blew up a passenger bus traveling on the Tbilisi-Aghdam route, killing 20 people and injuring 30.
Those responsible for the above-mentioned acts were arrested and found guilty in Georgia after a failed terrorist attack against a bus on the same Tblisi-Aghdam route in June 1991.
Bloody Climax MT: The bloody climax of Armenian terrorist activities was the genocide that took place in Karabagh in February 1992, slaughtering the entire population of the town of Khojali, which had a population of approximately 7000. The large-scale attack and subsequent capture of Khojali by the Armenians was aided by the participation of "foreign specialists" and Russian subdi visions, which resulted in the brutal and vicious murders of upwards of 1000 innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly. The objective of such actions was clear - to capture the borders of Azerbaijan and isolate the country. Several terrorist groups were directed to neighboring countries to Armenia and blew up several vital railway lines connecting Azerbaijan with the outside world.
On 30th May 1991, a Moscow-Baku passenger train was blown up near Khasavyurt (Dagestan), killing 11 people and injuring 22.
On 31st July 1991, a train traveling to Baku was blown up near Temirtau station (Dagestan) killing 16 people and injuring 20.
On 8th January 1992, a Krasnovodsk-Baku ferryboat was blown up, killing 25 and injuring 88.
On 28th February 1993, a Kislovodsk-Baku passenger train was blown up near Gudermes (Chechnya) station, killing 11 people and injuring 18. On 1st February 1994, another Kislovodsk-Baku passenger train was blown up at a Baku railway station, killing 3 people and injuring more than 20. On 13th April 1994, a Moscow-Baku passenger train was blown up at Dagestanskiye ogni (Dagestan) station, killing 6 and injuring 3.
The Armenian KGB established a special department, firstly at the TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) and then at the Ministry of the National Security, for conducting terrorist and sabotage operations. The evidence of the participation of Armenia's power structures in terrorist activities in Azerbaijan contains documents concerning Igor Khatkovskiy. I can remember carrying out the investigation and I was the Chief Investigator of the Federal Security Service at the time.
T: Who was behind the train bombings?
MT: On August 1993, Igor Khatkovskiy, a Russian citizen, was detained by Azerbaijan's Special Forces at a Baku railway station. During his interrogation, he freely admitted that he was recruiting TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) RF to enter Azerbaijan to conduct terrorist acts and sabotage. It was clear that was close collaboration with TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) RF, Lieutenant-Colonel D. Oganesyan and Major Galayan A.A., as well as two Russian citizens, Simonyan B.V. and Petrosyan V.S., who were active in sending Khatkovskiy to Azerbaijan.
Deadly Deeds MT: Igor Khatkovskiy was behind the explosion of a passenger train at a Baku railway station and that he was responsible for planting mines in the luggage compartment of a train at Derbent station, together with the help of Armenia Special Forces. When arrested by Russia's Federal Investigative Branch, the organizers of these attacks were found with explosives on them, and during the court trial they pleaded guilty to all charges. However, during the trial of the terrorist organizers, the Armenian President, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, ordered the trial to be moved to Tambov. Soon after the case, which was held by Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Oganesyan, Head of the Department of Sabotage TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) of Armenia and his assistant, Major Ashot Galoyan, were releasfrom custody like the rest of the organizers and protected in Armenia. The office of Azerbaijan's Public Prosecutor appealed against their release but instead, the offenders were promoted and given a higher military rank than befor in other words, they were rewarded for their deadly deeds.
Mikhail Trepashkin is also alleged to have been working as an espionage agent for British Secret Service, MI5. His wife said that "The Russians were very concerned about the information that my husband was gathering. It is alleged that in 1999 he was under the direct order of MI5 "to discredit" the Russian Security Service of FSS (Federal Security Service)". Relatives of the former security officer confirm that his allegations of being tortured in prison.. In January 2002 investigators from the Military Prosecutor's office, together with collaborators of the Security Service FSS (The Main Administration of National Security) RF, searched Trepashkins's house for evidence pertaining to Litvinenko's whereabouts (at that time, he had been enjoying political asylum in England for a year).
Investigators found nothing relating to Litvinenko, but removed more than 1000 items, including documents of the KGB, Ministry of Security RF, and FSS (Federal Safety Service), as well as finding 22 supporters. It was clear that some of the evidence gathered was highly confidential, and the Public Prosecutor's office felt that Trepashkin was abusing his power by keeping such confidential material at home. After discovering information containing government secrets, the investigators concluded that Trepashkin had sent 5 reports containing the FSS's (Federal Safety Service) methods of work to FSS (Federal Safety Service) Colonel Victor Shebalin (also the 'man in the mask' participant of the scandalous press-conference). Trepashkin denied the charges, calling them 'absurd'. Economic Security Service, such as Anatoliy Yakovenko and Yevgeniy Lzhevskiy". The group was rather large, but I explained the situation to them and prepared the documents. We needed ten days to analyze the information and form a clear picture and directly after that we began to realize our plans. This interview was given by Trepashkin 3 days before his arrest and it was his last interview. AT: We know your history but please tell us about terrorism in Azerbaijan? MT: Terrorism in Azerbaijan is closely linked to Armenian governmental policies with deep roots reaching to the end of the 19th century. Self-determination is not as it is presented in reality and the slogans used by the Armenians toward the goal of creating a "Greater Armenia" carries much political baggage and effectively violates international law. Remembering and taking "Revenge for the Turkish genocide" is center-stage to current events and this misguided mindset provides a cover of sympathy for terrorism and the repeated violation of human rights and international norms. AT: Your training and professional case history? MT: "In May 1994 I began working in the administration of Internal Security FSS (Federal Safety Service) in the Russian federation and I was soon instructed to take over the investigation concerning the bombings in Azerbaijan and Kislovodsk in the south of Russia. My boss was clear in what my job description was, "Matters are very serious and something needs to be done about it as soon as possible. Terrorists kill people, so go!"
"There were other FSS (Federal Safety Service) collaborators working on this project before me. People involved in the bombings were found in Kaliningrad, in the south of Russia, and in Moscow. AT: Who worked with you in this investigation? MT: I needed specialists who were able to ask questions tactfully and I was able to form a group of men I knew from another office. In general, I chose former investigators working in the Economic Security Service, such as Anatoliy Yakovenko and Yevgeniy Lzhevskiy".
The group was rather large, but I explained the situation to them and prepared the documents. We needed ten days to analyze the information and form a clear picture and directly after that we began to realize our plans. AT: Can you give some real example of the cases? MT: Jan Oganisyan was arrested in Moscow; he had been an ex-KGB collaborator in USSR, and was then working in the administration of National Security of Armenia, as Head of Special Operations in Azerbaijan - we regarded this body as a terrorist organization".
"Oganesyan had several different passports and it was proven that they had been made by Armenia's Special Services. He had a second or third wife living in Moscow and a child living in Dmitrovskiy. At the time of his arrest, enough explosives to bomb a whole block of flats in Moscow were found in the child's bed. We then uncovered an ammunition depot in Slavska city, Kaliningrad, as well as dynamite and a delay mechanism intended for a mine in Mineralniye Vodi (Mineral Waters)". AT: Give us some background on what is going on with Armenian terrorists? MT: In the 1970's there was created a number of independent terrorist cells, with ASALA, Armenian Special Services being the most active and even when the Soviet Union existed, ASLA committed acts of terrorism directed against Turkish subjects. This terrorism was carried out with the approval of the Kremlin and with the collapse of the Soviet Union the target of special operations was changed to Azerbaijan under a new battlecry: "The fight for self-determination of Armenians in Karabagh". AT: Who supported such operations? MT: There were many supporters, both near and far. There are radical organizations established by Armenian Diasporas with their vast money, political clout and networks. Together they have formed groups such as "DASHNAKSUTYUN"-ASALA, MAQ, "Armenian Union" and the "Armenian Freedom Front". The money came from many sources: Iran, Lebanon, France, USA, Russia and Greece. The Armenian government allowed these organizations to freely operate, granting asylum for sought after activists, providing them with money, false documents, transport and weapons. AT: Can you give special examples of terrorists' acts? MT: A total of 29 major terrorist attacks were made by Armenian terrorists in Nagorniy Karabagh between 1989 and 1994, which including the shooting down of two civilian helicopters and two airliners. Armenian terrorists targeted public transport "soft targets" which connected Azerbaijan villages in Karabagh with the rest of Azerbaijan. On 16th September 1989, a bus traveling from Tbilisi to Baku bus was blown up, killing 5 people and injuring 25. The next month the Shusha-Baku bus was blown up, killing two and injuring 13 others and the next year, on 10th August 1990, another terrorist group blew up a passenger bus traveling on the Tbilisi-Aghdam route, killing 20 people and injuring 30.
Those responsible for the above-mentioned acts were arrested and found guilty in Georgia after a failed terrorist attack against a bus on the same Tblisi-Aghdam route in June 1991.
Bloody Climax MT: The bloody climax of Armenian terrorist activities was the genocide that took place in Karabagh in February 1992, slaughtering the entire population of the town of Khojali, which had a population of approximately 7000. The large-scale attack and subsequent capture of Khojali by the Armenians was aided by the participation of "foreign specialists" and Russian subdi visions, which resulted in the brutal and vicious murders of upwards of 1000 innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly. The objective of such actions was clear - to capture the borders of Azerbaijan and isolate the country. Several terrorist groups were directed to neighboring countries to Armenia and blew up several vital railway lines connecting Azerbaijan with the outside world.
On 30th May 1991, a Moscow-Baku passenger train was blown up near Khasavyurt (Dagestan), killing 11 people and injuring 22.
On 31st July 1991, a train traveling to Baku was blown up near Temirtau station (Dagestan) killing 16 people and injuring 20.
On 8th January 1992, a Krasnovodsk-Baku ferryboat was blown up, killing 25 and injuring 88.
On 28th February 1993, a Kislovodsk-Baku passenger train was blown up near Gudermes (Chechnya) station, killing 11 people and injuring 18. On 1st February 1994, another Kislovodsk-Baku passenger train was blown up at a Baku railway station, killing 3 people and injuring more than 20. On 13th April 1994, a Moscow-Baku passenger train was blown up at Dagestanskiye ogni (Dagestan) station, killing 6 and injuring 3.
The Armenian KGB established a special department, firstly at the TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) and then at the Ministry of the National Security, for conducting terrorist and sabotage operations. The evidence of the participation of Armenia's power structures in terrorist activities in Azerbaijan contains documents concerning Igor Khatkovskiy. I can remember carrying out the investigation and I was the Chief Investigator of the Federal Security Service at the time.
T: Who was behind the train bombings?
MT: On August 1993, Igor Khatkovskiy, a Russian citizen, was detained by Azerbaijan's Special Forces at a Baku railway station. During his interrogation, he freely admitted that he was recruiting TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) RF to enter Azerbaijan to conduct terrorist acts and sabotage. It was clear that was close collaboration with TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) RF, Lieutenant-Colonel D. Oganesyan and Major Galayan A.A., as well as two Russian citizens, Simonyan B.V. and Petrosyan V.S., who were active in sending Khatkovskiy to Azerbaijan.
Deadly Deeds MT: Igor Khatkovskiy was behind the explosion of a passenger train at a Baku railway station and that he was responsible for planting mines in the luggage compartment of a train at Derbent station, together with the help of Armenia Special Forces. When arrested by Russia's Federal Investigative Branch, the organizers of these attacks were found with explosives on them, and during the court trial they pleaded guilty to all charges. However, during the trial of the terrorist organizers, the Armenian President, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, ordered the trial to be moved to Tambov. Soon after the case, which was held by Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Oganesyan, Head of the Department of Sabotage TMAONS (The Main Administration of National Security) of Armenia and his assistant, Major Ashot Galoyan, were releasfrom custody like the rest of the organizers and protected in Armenia. The office of Azerbaijan's Public Prosecutor appealed against their release but instead, the offenders were promoted and given a higher military rank than befor in other words, they were rewarded for their deadly deeds.
