Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) Kamchybek Tashiev commented on the detention of a group of suspects in an attempted coup in an interview to Channel 7.
According to him, an investigation is underway. The head of the security services promised that the details will be provided after the end of the investigative work.
«We had full information about such plans. We knew that they were buying military weapons, purchased 200 sets of military uniforms, were looking for UAVs, were interested in making explosives at home. Of course, we started working. Everything was recorded, we conducted video surveillance — how and where they bought weapons, military uniforms.... When everything was ready, they were all detained,» Kamchybek Tashiyev said.
The rioters were looking for a convenient pretext to rouse the people, he added.
They wanted to find young people, dress them in military uniforms, give them weapons and start shooting at the crowd. And then, according to their plan, some «military men» would take off their uniforms and announce that they were taking the side of the people. They thought the people would support them.
«The social and political situation in the country remains stable. According to the results of the first half of the year, economic growth reached 8.1 percent. Would people in such a situation have a reason to go out onto the streets and protest?» Kamchybek Tashiev said.
When asked whether external forces could be behind the suspects, the head of the security services said that the investigation was underway and it would be known after the investigation.
«It is not excluded, of course. Maybe someone doesn’t like the fact that Kyrgyzstan’s economy is growing so fast. Different scenarios could be used. For example, to organize events like those in April 2010 or June. You know very well the reasons for the June 2010 events. First: behind-the-scenes negotiations between the interim government and the separatists. The second is that external forces entered Uzbek neighborhoods, fired on Uzbeks and spread information that Kyrgyz did it. Then they went to the streets where Kyrgyz lived and did the same thing, saying that it was Uzbeks who shot the Kyrgyz. Obviously, this served as a trigger for the outbreak of interethnic conflict,» Kamchybek Tashiev commented.
He recalled that as soon as the parties realized that external forces were behind the provocation, stability was restored in three days.
According to the head of the SCNS, a similar scenario may try to be played out in Bishkek.
«You can hire a separatist or extremist, killing someone and posting a video saying that Kyrgyz are being killed. Therefore, any crimes or actions aimed at inciting interethnic conflict should be strictly punished,» he concluded.
