Man with RDX

The first suspect in the bus bombing in Nevinnomyssk was detained

The FSB Directorate of the Stavropol Territory yesterday reported the arrest of the first suspect in a terrorist attack on a passenger bus, which resulted in the death of two people and the injury of 13 others. On the evening of December 9, during an intermediate stop of the Ikarus bus traveling along the Pyatigorsk-Stavropol route, an explosion occurred at the bus station in the city of Nevinnomyssk . A day later, four sketches of the alleged terrorists , compiled from the words of bus passengers, were distributed. According to the official version, it was these descriptions that helped find the suspect. After his arrest, traces of hexogen were allegedly found on his clothes, and he confessed to everything. However, the details of the special operation and what exactly the man said remained unclear yesterday.

According to the Stavropol FSB Directorate, the suspect, a native and resident of Ingushetia, was detained at about 5.00 on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria. He was taken to Nevinnomyssk, where he immediately confessed to his crime. At the same time, according to the FSB, during the examination, explosive particles were found on his clothes. (Explosive experts suggest that the power of the bomb was 500 grams of TNT, and a “hexogen-containing explosive” was used to prepare it.) The same particles were found on the bills with which the man allegedly paid the bus driver. Experts determined what the bomb looked like - it was disguised as a juice carton and stuffed with metal balls and scraps of rebar.

Testimonies from bus passengers allegedly helped identify the suspect. After interviewing eyewitnesses of the emergency, the attention of the police was immediately attracted to four men whom the driver dropped into the Ikarus on the highway after leaving Pyatigorsk. From the words of the passengers, their sketches were compiled. Based on them, the police were looking for two men of Slavic appearance, 30-35 years old, and two Caucasian guys, 20-25 years old. According to witnesses, two of these men were riding in the back seat of the bus, where the bomb was hidden. Shortly before the explosion, they left the salon and could well have been terrorists.

How exactly the operatives were able to get on the trail of the suspect remained unclear yesterday. Both the FSB Directorate and the Main Investigation Department (GSU) under the prosecutor's office for the Southern Federal District refused to make any comments. From sources close to the investigation, it became known only that the detention took place in the suburbs of Nalchik. At the same time, only employees of the Stavropol FSB Directorate and OMON took part in it. Their colleagues from the KBR were not involved in the operation.

Yesterday it also remained unknown whether the detainee was involved in another similar terrorist attack committed on November 22 in North Ossetia on a bus heading from Pyatigorsk to Vladikavkaz. Immediately after the explosion in Nevinnomyssk, both criminal cases were combined into one proceeding - after comparing the results of the examinations, investigators noticed that identical explosive devices were used in both terrorist attacks. At the same time, the special services stated that, according to the main version, the terrorist attacks were organized by associates of one of the leaders of the Chechen separatists, Doku Umarov.

Tatiana GRITSENKO