Moscow, 5 May 1997 (RFE/RL) - Chechen officials say they have issued an arrest warrant for a rebel commander who claimed responsibility for a series of deadly explosions in Russia.
Ruslan Kutayev, an advisor to Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, told a press conference in Moscow today that Salman Raduyev was being sought even though his claims are not being taken seriously. The Chechen official said Raduyev's actions "discredit the Chechen government."
Raduyev said he was responsible for two railway station blasts in southern Russia, a blast which killed four and wounded dozens more last month as well as an explosion at a weapons depot in Russia's Far East. No one was injured in that incident.
Russian Interior Minister Anatoly Kulikov has blamed the Chechens for the blasts. Russian officials have detained two Chechen women in connection with the explosion in Pyatigorsk.
Chechen officials deny any role in the explosions and instead accuse opponents of peace in Moscow of orchestrating the attacks.
Meanwhile, Russian Security Council secretary Ivan Rybkin said today that Maskhadov would soon meet Russian President Boris Yeltsin in Moscow after officials completed documents on charting a new relationship between Russia and Chechnya.
Ruslan Kutayev, an advisor to Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, told a press conference in Moscow today that Salman Raduyev was being sought even though his claims are not being taken seriously. The Chechen official said Raduyev's actions "discredit the Chechen government."
Raduyev said he was responsible for two railway station blasts in southern Russia, a blast which killed four and wounded dozens more last month as well as an explosion at a weapons depot in Russia's Far East. No one was injured in that incident.
Russian Interior Minister Anatoly Kulikov has blamed the Chechens for the blasts. Russian officials have detained two Chechen women in connection with the explosion in Pyatigorsk.
Chechen officials deny any role in the explosions and instead accuse opponents of peace in Moscow of orchestrating the attacks.
Meanwhile, Russian Security Council secretary Ivan Rybkin said today that Maskhadov would soon meet Russian President Boris Yeltsin in Moscow after officials completed documents on charting a new relationship between Russia and Chechnya.