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Russia Disappoints With Terror Group List

Russia this past Friday published a list of groups throughout the world that it considers to be terrorist groups. The anti-Israel, rejectionist Hamas and Hizballah organizations did not make the cut, much to the chagrin of Israel and America. Among the 17 groups that were listed by the state-run Rossiiskaya Gazeta were Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Egypt`s Muslim Brotherhood, and a Pakistan-based group fighting to push India out of Kashmir. Of course, Chechen separatist groups were bound to be included in the list as well, even with several successful Russian liquidations of Chechen terror leaders.

Federal Security Service official Yuri Sapunov, who heads Moscow`s efforts against international terrorism, told the Rossiiskaya Gazeta that the list ?includes only those organizations which represent the greatest threat to the security of our country.? Both Israel and the United States have expressed frustration over Russia`s long-standing failure to recognize Hizballah, Hamas and other Palestinian groups as terrorists. Moscow invited Hamas ministers of the Palestinian Authority for talks earlier this year, angering Jerusalem to no small degree.

Other areas in which Russia seems intent, either purposely or naively, to drive a wedge between itself and Washington (and Jerusalem, and Berlin, and London, and Paris) has been the efforts of Russia to help Iran build a nuclear reactor at the same time as the United Nations has been considering sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Russia has also seen a marked rollback on democracy and the freedom of the press.