Russia - Train explosion

Islamists claim train bomb

Article published on the 2009-12-02 Latest update 2009-12-02 11:58 TU

The Nevsky Express train bomb killed dozens
(Photo: Reuters)

Islamists from the North Caucasus has claimed responsibility for a train bombing in Russia that killed 39 and injured more than 100. A statement on a website linked to Chechen rebels, kavkazcenter.com, claimed the attack had been planned since the beginning of the year.

“This operation was prepared and executed along with other acts of sabotage,” said the statement, “… and successfully carried out against a set of strategically important sites in Russia.”

The bombing of the Nevsky Express on Friday killed at least two government officials and was allegedly aimed at the Russian elite who use the train. The Nevsky Express runs from Moscow to St Petersburg and is popular with wealthy travellers.

A remote-controlled blast injured Russia’s Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin when he arrived at the scene on Saturday.

The statement says the attack was ordered by self-styled “Caucasus Emir” Dokku Umarov, who has previously sought to unite various Islamist groups in the North Caucasus.

But Chechan rebels have issued claims for attacks in the past for attacks for which they were not responsible. In August, responsibility was claimed for a Siberian hydro-electric power plant explosion in which more than ten people died. Later it was discovered the disaster was due to a technical fault.