Chechen warlord claims Kadyrov's assassination

Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev has taken responsibility for the murder of Akhmad Kadyrov, reported Echo Moskvy Radio with reference to a Chechen separatist website.

Shamil Basayev's statement reads that the terrorist act at the Dinamo stadium was committed within the framework of the so called Retribution operation. Besides, the Chechen warlord issued new threats towards the Chechen leadership.

It has also become known that investigators established a main suspect in the May 9 terrorist act at the Dinamo stadium in Grozny. He is Lomali Chupalayev, a 37-year-old bricklayer from Grozny, the Izvestiya newspaper reported.

The man was detained in his house in the village of Alkhazurovo, Chechnya's Urus-Martan district, on the night of May 11-12.

Lomali Chupalayev took part in the construction work at the Dinamo stadium. Besides, he took part in the maintenance work on service rooms situated under the stands on April 15 and 16.

One of Lomali Chupalayev's brothers, Said-Amin Chupalayev, was a member of Ruslan Gelayev's group in 1996 and was killed. His other brother, Said-Magomed Chupalayev, was a member of Shamil Basayev's unit and was sentenced by the Supreme Court of the Chechen Republic to 16 years' imprisonment for membership in illegal armed units, illegal storage and carrying of weapons, and terrorism.

Editors note: See also the article "Suspect in Dinamo stadium bomb attack detained in Chechnya".