Russia breaks up planned terrorist attack in North Caucasus area

[News_Editor]

Russia breaks up planned terrorist attack in North Caucasus area

2010-10-29 07:19:41 GMT+7 (ICT)

GORKI, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) -- Russia's Federal Security Service on Thursday announced that special forces foiled a terrorist attack that was planned to strike the North Caucasus region, RIA Novosti reported.

Russian special forces tore apart a militant group that allegedly was about to execute a terrorist attack in the city of Pyatigorsk earlier this week. In a special operation, two militants were killed and four others were captured.

In addition, over 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of explosives and their components were seized. The special forces also located an underground workshop where the explosives were prepared.

"It was established that this gang was involved in the terrorist attack that took place in Pyatigorsk, when a large number of peaceful citizens died, and in a preparing an attack on Stavropol," Alexander Bortnikov, head of the Federal Security Service, said.

On August 17, a car parked near a café exploded in downtown Pyatigorsk, killing at least 30 people. And on September 30, two car bombs, with the combined strength of 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of TNT, were defused in Stavropol.

Bortnikov said that the terrorist plot was uncovered thanks to the local residents' vigilance that resulted in the discovery of a car packed with explosives that was planned to be detonated in Pyatigorsk on October 26.

The Stavropol Region city of Pyatigorsk is the capital of Russia's North Caucasus Federal District, which includes the volatile Russian republics of Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia.

In April 2009, Moscow ended its decade-long anti-terrorism campaign against Chechen separatists but since then the European country has been combating militants that continue to attack officials and police officers.

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