Putin threatens preventive actions against terrorists

MOSCOW (AP) _ President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia was preparing to take preventive action against terrorists, the Interfax news agency reported. <br/><br/>Putin said that ``now in Russia,

Friday, September 17th 2004, 9:20 am

By: News On 6

MOSCOW (AP) _ President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia was preparing to take preventive action against terrorists, the Interfax news agency reported.

Putin said that ``now in Russia, we are seriously preparing to act preventively against terrorists,'' Interfax reported.

Lower-level officials including Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov have threatened pre-emptive strikes against terrorists abroad, and it was not immediately clear whether Putin was referring to actions only at home or abroad, too.

Interfax quoted Putin as saying that the steps would be ``in strict accordance with the law and norms of the constitution, relying on international law.''

Recalling the attempts to appease Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in the 1930s, Putin said there could be no ``bargaining'' with terrorists.

``Every concession leads to a widening of their demands and multiples the losses,'' Putin was quoted as saying.

His address followed a deadly series of terrorist attacks in Russia, blamed on Chechen rebels, that have claimed more than 430 lives. Putin has steadfastly refused any negotiations with rebel representatives.