‘Black widow’ promises to die in suicide attack in Moscow
Kowa said she intended to kill herself in an attack in Moscow in the near future.
At least 10 of all terror attacks by Chechen separatists on Russia in the past nine months have been carried out by women.
“I have only one dream, only one mission - to blow myself up somewhere in Russia, ideally in Moscow,” Kowa said. “To take as many Russian lives as possible. This is the only way to stop the Russians from killing my people. Maybe this way they will get the message and leave us alone, once and for all.”
The two wars in Chechnya have left 100,000 people dead, and although full-scale fighting has abated, low-level guerrilla combat is ongoing.
It was this that claimed the Kowa’s husband’s life. “I met my husband when we were teenagers. We studied together, fell in love, and married two years ago. We had a baby together. One month ago he was killed by the Russians. He was 24 years old. He was a rebel fighter and I supported his struggle against Russia.”
Kowa said her husband was deeply religious and she had adopted Islam to follow him. “He talked to me about religion and about Allah, and brought religious books home which I read. I got more and more interested in it, and began to wear a headscarf. We were both in favour of creating an Islamic state here in Chechnya.”
Kowa described what happened after her husband was killed: “His friends hunted down one of the men responsible and brought him to me so I could kill him in revenge, but I didn’t do it. I didn’t feel like it, and anyway I have other plans.”
Kowa, who has left her home and lives in hiding in Chechnya, said she was even prepared to kill herself despite having a child.
Most Chechen women have lost relatives in the conflict with Russia. “I have a daughter who is 18 months old, but it’s not worth living for my child, now my husband is dead,” she said. “I didn’t say goodbye to anyone, not even my own daughter. My mother-in-law tried to hold me hostage in her house. She was scared something would happen to me, but my commander came and took me away.” She added she was certain of her fate and felt entirely in control of it: “In my case, as with most cases with female suicide bombers, the motive is revenge.
“No-one is forcing us and I am not afraid. I am just waiting for the order from my commander.”
Moscow-based British journalist Mark Franchetti, who tracked Kowa down, described her as an emotionless brick wall.
“The most chilling and in many ways depressing thing about meeting her was the complete lack of emotion with which she spoke about what she was about to do,” Mr Franchetti said.
“Especially considering she was so young, and she has a small child, she was a brick wall - no emotions whatsoever.
“She spoke in a programmed way, almost as if she was dehumanised.”
