 In 1998, 176 people were kidnapped, 90 of whom were released, according to official accounts.President Maskhadov started a major campaign against hostage-takers, and on October 25, 1998, Shadid Bargishev, Chechnya's top anti-kidnapping official, was killed in a remote-controlled car bombing.Bargishev's colleagues then insisted they would not be intimidated by the attack and would go ahead with their offensive.