23:00, 27 May 2010

Investigation considers two priority versions of Stavropol terror act

Inspectors are studying several versions of the terror act committed in the centre of Stavropol on May 26, in particular, they think that it could be a militants' action or some commerce-based "showdown".

Alexander Khloponin, Plenipotentiary of Russian President in the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD), said in his interview to the "Rossiiskaya Gazeta" that organized criminal groupings act in the region under the guise of terrorists.

Gennady Gudkov, deputy of the State Duma Committee for Security, said that organized criminals often mask themselves as terrorists, but the version of an extremist action, according to his story, should also be considered, the "Echo Moskvy" Radio reports.

Orkhan Dzhemal, observer of the "Russian Newsweek" magazine, agrees that there are criminals in the Caucasus who act under the guise of Islamites; however he is sure that they have no attitude to the yesterday's events in Stavropol.