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Teenage widow 'was Moscow bomber' | |
(about 20 hours later) | |
Russian authorities say they are almost certain that one of the suicide bombers who attacked the Moscow Metro on Monday was a 17-year-old girl from Dagestan. | |
The girl, Dzhennet Abdurakhmanova, is believed to be the widow of a senior Caucasus militant killed by Russian security forces late last year. | |
Dagestan, like nearby Chechnya, is struggling to quell militant violence. | Dagestan, like nearby Chechnya, is struggling to quell militant violence. |
The morning rush-hour bombings killed 40 people and injured more than 80, most of whom are still in hospital. | |
"One of the female suicide bombers, who blew herself up at the Park Kultury metro station, was Dzhennet Abdurakhmanova," said a statement from Russia's National Anti-Terror Committee (NAK) carried by the RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies. | |
"She was born in 1992 and lived in the Khasavyurtsky region of Dagestan." | |
A police spokesman said earlier that the suspect had been married to a leading Islamist militant, Umalat Magomedov, who was killed by Russian security forces at the end of last year. | |
A photograph of her published in a leading Russian newspaper, Kommersant, bears a strong resemblance to a picture of the remains of one of the suicide bombers, the BBC's Richard Galpin reports from Moscow. | |
'Black widows' | 'Black widows' |
The identity of the second bomber has not been confirmed, but Kommersant said she may have been the widow of another Chechen militant killed last year. | |
Doku Umarov: 'I promise you that the war will come to your streets' | Doku Umarov: 'I promise you that the war will come to your streets' |
Abdurakhmanova is believed to have travelled to Moscow by bus with the other female suicide bomber from the Dagestan town of Kizlyar, near the Chechen border. | |
The death toll from their twin bombings rose to 40 on Friday after one man died from his wounds in hospital, officials said. | |
On Wednesday 12 people, nine of them police officers, were killed in two suicide bombings in Kizlyar. | On Wednesday 12 people, nine of them police officers, were killed in two suicide bombings in Kizlyar. |
In Moscow, the news that the attacks were carried out by women had fuelled speculation that they were so-called "black widows" - women married or related to militants killed by Russian forces in areas such as Dagestan, Ingushetia and Chechnya. | |
Black widows have been involved in several major attacks in the North Caucasus and in Moscow. | Black widows have been involved in several major attacks in the North Caucasus and in Moscow. |
Rebel's video warning | Rebel's video warning |
Unnamed Federal Security Service (FSB) officials say Magomedov was an associate of Doku Umarov, the Chechen rebel leader who claims he ordered Monday's metro attacks. | |
In a video message posted on a rebel website, Mr Umarov warned Russians to prepare for more attacks. | In a video message posted on a rebel website, Mr Umarov warned Russians to prepare for more attacks. |
On Thursday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev flew to Dagestan's capital Makhachkala to hold emergency talks with the leaders of Russia's troubled North Caucasus republics. | |
"We must deal sharp dagger blows to the terrorists; destroy them and their lairs," Mr Medvedev said. | "We must deal sharp dagger blows to the terrorists; destroy them and their lairs," Mr Medvedev said. |
"The list of measures to fight terrorism must be widened. They must not only be effective but tough, severe and preventative. We need to punish." | "The list of measures to fight terrorism must be widened. They must not only be effective but tough, severe and preventative. We need to punish." |
The attacks came almost a year after Mr Medvedev declared an end to Russia's "counter-terrorism operations" in Chechnya, in a bid to "further normalise the situation" after 15 years of conflict that claimed more than 100,000 lives and left it in ruins. | The attacks came almost a year after Mr Medvedev declared an end to Russia's "counter-terrorism operations" in Chechnya, in a bid to "further normalise the situation" after 15 years of conflict that claimed more than 100,000 lives and left it in ruins. |
Despite this, the mainly Muslim republic continues to be plagued by violence, and over the past two years Islamist militants have stepped up attacks in neighbouring Ingushetia and Dagestan. | Despite this, the mainly Muslim republic continues to be plagued by violence, and over the past two years Islamist militants have stepped up attacks in neighbouring Ingushetia and Dagestan. |
Mr Umarov said the attacks were an act of revenge for the killings of Chechen and Ingush civilians by the Russian security forces near the town of Arshty on 11 February. | Mr Umarov said the attacks were an act of revenge for the killings of Chechen and Ingush civilians by the Russian security forces near the town of Arshty on 11 February. |
The rebel, who styles himself as the Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, said attacks on Russian soil would continue. | The rebel, who styles himself as the Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, said attacks on Russian soil would continue. |