The Russian Foreign Ministry welcomed on Thursday the U.S. decision to include Chechen militant leader Doku Umarov on the terrorist list.
"We consider this move of the U.S. side as an important acknowledgement that the threat of international terrorism, faced by Russia, the United States and many other countries, is common and indivisible," the Russian ministry said.
"The decision of the U.S. authorities is a direct result of the recent strengthening in the anti-terrorism partnership between our countries. It demonstrates the strong will of the Russian and U.S. leaders to work together in combating the global challenge of terrorism."
The list of international terrorists (Presidential Executive Order 13224) was signed on September 23, 2001, by then U.S. President George Bush. The 116-page allows the imposition of sanctions on anyone listed.
Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and the Russian National Anti-Terrorist Committee also welcomed the decision.
"This is proof that the U.S. has finally realized that Umarov has nothing to do with politics or with Chechen people," Kadyrov said. "He has one goal: to shed as much blood as possible, regardless of whether it comes from soldiers, policemen, religious leaders, women or children."
Umarov, who styles himself as "the Emir of the Caucasus," has claimed responsibility for the two most significant recent terrorist attacks in Russia: the Nevsky Express train bombing and the March 29 suicide attacks in the Moscow Metro. He has also threatened further attacks.
The high-speed Nevsky Express train derailed on November 27, 2009, killing 28 people and injuring over 90 en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg after a bomb equivalent to 7 kg (15 lbs) of TNT detonated on the track.
The attack on the Moscow subway occurred on March 29 when two suicide bombers blew themselves up during the morning rush hour at the Lubyanka and Park Kultury metro stations, killing 40 people and injuring over 100.
GROZNY, June 24 (RIA Novosti)
