The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

Badruddin Bahes was close to Muslim Youth ideologically. He was considered to be amullah. Later, he met Tahir Badakhshi and joined Setam-e Milli.”“Do you know the terrorists?” asked Starostin, placing a newspaper with a photo offour naked corpses in front of Artem.Artem glanced at the photo, which he had surely already seen, and said confidently,“No. This is strange, but I have never seen them before. If these men had demonstrated anynoticeable political activity, we would surely have crossed paths. It’s not just me—I’veasked other people about them, including natives of Badakhshan. Nobody knows them.Isn’t it strange?”Artem paused to give Starostin an opportunity to internalize what he had heard, andto ask any questions. Since there were no follow-up questions, he continued: “Theterrorists had a different demand. That other demand had real political meaning. Theywanted Afghan and foreign journalists, representatives of television channels, andComrade Hafizullah Amin to come to the hotel.” Artem pronounced the word “comrade,”preceding Amin’s name, with apparent sarcasm and even hostility. “The terrorists said thatthey wanted to ask Amin several questions in the presence of the American ambassador.They had no grievances with respect to the ambassador himself, or the United States.”“How do you know that?” Starostin asked.“Qadir told me. Remember, I described him to you earlier.”“Was he there?”“Yes, he was there, next to Tarun, until the very end.”“Strange, but this demand of the terrorists doesn’t appear particularly seriouseither.”330