A major terror act was prevented in Chechnya's Shatoi District as a highway inspection revealed a landmine laid on the Borzoi-Vashindaroi stretch. The makeshift explosive device based on an artillery cartridge, 122 mm calibre. The information reached Novosti today from a spokesman of the North Caucasian anti-terror operation HQ. Federal engineers chose to blow up the boobytrap on the spot as it could go off any instant when removed, added our informant. With local people's help, Chechen Interior Ministry men came today on a major munitions cachet in the Gudermes District. The arsenal was tracked down to prominent rebel chieftain Aslanbek Askhanov, Vice-Emir of the district, who died in battle last November, our interviewee went on. The villagers of Gherzel addressed the district police yesterday to report munitions found on the village outskirts. The cachet was impressive: an anti-tank guided missile with a launching device, six anti-personnel mines, six grenade-thrower rounds, a large stock of hand-grenade fuses, and more than 600 cartridges of various calibre. More information came from a Chechen police officer. In particular, detectives tracked down a bandit involved in a military commandant's vehicle blast in the village Shamil Khutor, Vedeno District, April 15, 2002. Our informant did not specify the culprit's name.
Three soldiers were injured in the armoured personnel carrier blast that fatal day, and six died on the spot-one of them an officer of the Federal Security Service, or FSB. Investigators suspect the detainee was involved in more crimes committed in the North Caucasus. A federal special operation brought the detention of a paramilitary active on Yunadi Turchayev's gang, subordinate to notorious warlord Shamil Basayev, reports the North Caucasian anti-terror operation HQ. In an initial questioning, the detainee confessed he was with the gang that killed several policemen and civilian residents of Grozny, Chechen capital, August 21, 2004, says an official HQ spokesman.