Moscow, 11 October 2002 (RFE/RL) -- A Chechen prosecutor says 16 pro-Russian Chechnya policemen were killed in an explosion at a police station in the capital Grozny yesterday. Prosecutor Nikolai Kostyuchenko said nine other people were wounded in the blast which occurred while pro-Moscow policemen were holding a meeting in the police station. Forty policemen were reportedly attending the meeting.
Prosecutors have classified the blast as a terrorist act and have opened a criminal investigation. Kostyuchenko said the bomb was most likely brought into the building by people who had infiltrated the pro-Moscow Chechen police on behalf of Chechen separatist rebels.
Prosecutors have classified the blast as a terrorist act and have opened a criminal investigation. Kostyuchenko said the bomb was most likely brought into the building by people who had infiltrated the pro-Moscow Chechen police on behalf of Chechen separatist rebels.