Moscow: Three militants of a "criminal
gang" allegedly involved in the deadly March 29 twin blasts on
the Moscow Metro network that claimed over 40 lives have been
killed in an encounter with Russian security forces.
Three men of the gang, including the one who had
brought the female suicide attackers to Moscow and accompanied
one of them to the site, were killed, FSB Security Service
Chief Alexander Bortnikov said during his meeting with
President Dmitry Medvedev.
"The three men of the gang to our great regret, could
not be captured alive. They posed stiff armed resistance at
the time of arrest and were destroyed," he was quoted as
saying by ITAR-TASS news agency.
Investigators had identified the suicide bombers as
Dzhanat Abdurakhmanova (Abdulayeva), 17, and Mariyam
Sharipova, 28, both residents of Russia`s North Caucasus
republic of Daghestan.
More than 40 people were killed and 160 injured in the
terror strikes on Moscow`s busy Lubyanka and Park Kultury
metro stations during morning rush hours.
Meanwhile, in a fresh attack eight technicians were
killed and several policemen were injured in an ambush by
militants in Daghestan.
The technicians were on their way to repair a TV and
cellular communication tower, when their vehicle blew up by a
landmine planted on the road side. A police column moving on
the same road came under fierce fire from the militants,
Newsru website reported.
"During the pursuit of the gang that attacked the TV
relay tower, four police officers received minor injuries," a
police officer was quoted as saying by the website.
Bureau report
