31 January 2005 -- Tajikistan's emergencies minister says officials are not sure if a car bomb explosion outside the Tajik Emergencies Ministry today was a terrorist attack.
Earlier, authorities said the blast killed the occupant of the vehicle. Two other people were reportedly also killed.
The minister, General Mirzo Zia, has told RFE/RL in the Tajik capital Dushanbe that the strength of the blast leads him to believe that the car had been packed with explosives.
But Tajik Interior Minister Khomiddin Sharipov says authorities have no firm theories about the blast.
"For the moment, we do not have any theories, any theories. We don't know what caused the blast," Sharipov said.
The remarks come after a fire broke out at the Tajik Security Ministry just hours after the car bomb exploded near the Emergencies Ministry.
An Interior Ministry official, Nazarboy Janjaniyev, said the fire was caused by a faulty air conditioner and that no one was hurt by the blaze.
Reports say there is a heavy military presence throughout the city.
The minister, General Mirzo Zia, has told RFE/RL in the Tajik capital Dushanbe that the strength of the blast leads him to believe that the car had been packed with explosives.
But Tajik Interior Minister Khomiddin Sharipov says authorities have no firm theories about the blast.
"For the moment, we do not have any theories, any theories. We don't know what caused the blast," Sharipov said.
The remarks come after a fire broke out at the Tajik Security Ministry just hours after the car bomb exploded near the Emergencies Ministry.
An Interior Ministry official, Nazarboy Janjaniyev, said the fire was caused by a faulty air conditioner and that no one was hurt by the blaze.
Reports say there is a heavy military presence throughout the city.