Russian security forces have arrested more than 20 people planning bomb attacks in the central region of Volgograd, the FSB (ex-KGB) domestic intelligence agency said Monday cited by Interfax.
The news agency said that a group of Chechen rebels under the command of notorious field commander Arbi Barayev had recently infiltrated the region.
Earlier Monday the Russian army accused pro-independence Chechen guerrillas of planning a spate of terrorist attacks throughout Chechnya over the new year.
Chechen commanders Shamil Basayev, Ruslan Gulayev and breakaway President Aslan Maskhadov are planning to "launch attacks in the capital Grozny, Gudermes in the east and the military base in Kankala during the Mew Year festivities," the Russian army's North Caucasus command said quoted by Interfax.
Maskhadov immediately denied the accusations in a telephone call to AFP -- MOSCOW (AFP)
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