Report Says Daghestan Police Claim Killing Of Volgograd Mastermind

Two bombings in Volgograd killed 34 people in late December.

A report says police in the Russian republic of Daghestan are claiming to have killed a man who "might" have been an organizer of the Volgograd bombings.

The ITAR-TASS state news agency quotes a Daghestani law-enforcement source as identifying the suspect as "Mirzayev," leader of the "Kadarskaya gang."

The report said he was killed in a shootout with security forces on February 5 in the town of Izberbash.

The report said that, according to preliminary information obtained by investigators, "Mirzayev" may have been responsible for sending two suicide bombers to Volgograd.

Two bombings there in late December killed 34 people.

Further official confirmation of the report wasn't immediately available.

Russian antiterrorism officials last week said the Volgograd bombers were believed to belong to a militant group based in Daghestan.


Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS