Shamil Basayev, Chechen terrorist rebel leader (b. 1965)
Shamil Salmanovich Basayev (Chechen: Салман ВоӀ Шамиль, Russian: Шамиль Салманович Басаев; 14 January 1965 – 10 July 2006) also known by his kunya "Abu Idris", was a senior leader of the Chechen independence movement and terrorist.Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against Russian forces for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings of civilians, with his goal being the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Chechnya. Beginning in 2003, Basayev used the nom de guerre and title of "Emir Abdallah Shamil Abu-Idris". In 1997–1998 he also served as vice-Prime minister of Chechnya in Aslan Maskhadov's government.

As Basayev's ruthless reputation gained notoriety, he became well revered among his peers and eventually became the highest ranking Chechen military commander and was considered the undisputed leader of the Chechen insurgency as well as being the overall senior leader of all other Chechen rebel factions. This position was assumed by Akhmed Yevloyev in July 2007, one year after the liquidation of Basayev.

He ordered the Budyonnovsk hospital raid, Beslan school massacre and was responsible for numerous terrorists attacks on security forces in and around Chechnya and also masterminded the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis and the 2004 Russian aircraft bombings. ABC News described him as "one of the most-wanted terrorists in the world." Despite his aura, he has been described in international media as "almost unassuming in the flesh", being "of medium height, with a bushy beard and high forehead worthy of a Moscow intellectual, and a quiet voice."Basayev was killed in a truck explosion during an arms deal in July 2006. Forensic evidence suggests that his death was caused when a landmine he was examining exploded, but Russian officials have also claimed that one of the Kamaz trucks used was booby-trapped and detonated to destroy the arms shipment, also killing Basayev.