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Volgograd police step up security after suicide attacks Volgograd police step up security after suicide attacks
(about 4 hours later)
Police detained dozens of people on Tuesday in sweeps through the Russian city of Volgograd after two deadly bomb attacks in less than 24 hours that have raised security fears ahead of the Winter Olympics. Police detained dozens of people on Tuesday in sweeps through the Russian city of Volgograd after two deadly bomb attacks in less than 24 hours which have raised security fears ahead of the Winter Olympics.
A man wounded when a bomber set off a blast in the city's railway station on Sunday died overnight, bringing the toll in that attack to 18. Investigators said 14 people died in a trolley bus bombing on Monday but health officials put the toll at 16. A man wounded when a bomber set off a blast in the city's railway station on Sunday died overnight, bringing the toll in that attack to 18. Investigators said 14 people died in a trolleybus bombing on Monday but health officials put the toll at 16.
There was no indication that any of those arrested was connected to the attacks.There was no indication that any of those arrested was connected to the attacks.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but they have underscored vulnerability to bombings and raised fears of attacks by Islamist insurgents whose leader has called on militants to prevent Russia hosting the Olympics in February.Nobody has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but they have underscored vulnerability to bombings and raised fears of attacks by Islamist insurgents whose leader has called on militants to prevent Russia hosting the Olympics in February.
In Volgograd, about 5,200 police and interior troops were mobilised in Operation Anti-terror Whirlwind, the head on a emergency headquarters, Andrei Pilipchuk, said on state TV. In Volgograd, about 5,200 police and interior troops were mobilised in Operation Anti-terror Whirlwind, security spokesman Andrei Pilipchuk said on state TV.
He said 87 people had been detained after they resisted police or could not produce proper ID or registration documents, and that some had weapons. State TV showed helmeted officers pushing men up against a wall. But there was no sign any were linked to the bombings or suspected of planning further attacks. He said 87 people had been detained after they resisted police or could not produce proper ID or registration documents, and some had weapons. State TV showed helmeted officers pushing men up against a wall. But there was no sign any were linked to the bombings or suspected of planning further attacks.
Mourners laid flowers at the site of the suicide bombing that tore the bus apart.Mourners laid flowers at the site of the suicide bombing that tore the bus apart.
"I'm frightened," said Tatyana Volchanskaya, a student in Volgograd, 400 miles north-west of Sochi, the Black Sea resort where the Winter Games are to start on 7 February. She said some friends were afraid to go to shops and crowded places."I'm frightened," said Tatyana Volchanskaya, a student in Volgograd, 400 miles north-west of Sochi, the Black Sea resort where the Winter Games are to start on 7 February. She said some friends were afraid to go to shops and crowded places.
The attacks posed a challenge to President Vladimir Putin, who oversaw a war that drove rebels from power in Chechnya over a decade ago but has been unable to quell the Islamist insurgency that erupted in its wake.The attacks posed a challenge to President Vladimir Putin, who oversaw a war that drove rebels from power in Chechnya over a decade ago but has been unable to quell the Islamist insurgency that erupted in its wake.
Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, is a city of about 1 million and a transport hub for an area of southern Russia that includes Chechnya and the other mostly Muslim provinces of the North Caucasus, where the insurgency generates deadly violence almost every day.Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, is a city of about 1 million and a transport hub for an area of southern Russia that includes Chechnya and the other mostly Muslim provinces of the North Caucasus, where the insurgency generates deadly violence almost every day.
Two people were killed in a bomb blast in Dagestan late on Monday, authorities said.Two people were killed in a bomb blast in Dagestan late on Monday, authorities said.
Putin has staked his prestige on the Games in Sochi, which lies at the western edge of the Caucasus mountains and within the strip of land the insurgents want to carve out of Russia and turn into an Islamic State. Putin has staked his prestige on the Games in Sochi, which lies at the western edge of the Caucasus mountains and within the strip of land the insurgents want to carve out of Russia and turn into an Islamic state.
He ordered increased security nationwide after the attacks, the deadliest outside the North Caucasus since a suicide bomber from a province next to Chechnya killed 37 people at a Moscow airport in January 2011.He ordered increased security nationwide after the attacks, the deadliest outside the North Caucasus since a suicide bomber from a province next to Chechnya killed 37 people at a Moscow airport in January 2011.
The Itar-Tass news agency said police were focusing on migrant workers from the Caucasus and ex-Soviet states — groups that rights activists say face prejudice and are often targeted by police indiscriminately. The Itar-Tass news agency said police were focusing on migrant workers from the Caucasus and former Soviet states – groups that rights activists say face prejudice and are often targeted by police indiscriminately.
Investigators said they believed a male suicide bomber was responsible for Monday's morning rush-hour blast, which turned a trolleybus into a twisted wreck and left bodies lying in the street. Investigators said they believed a male suicide bomber was responsible for Monday's morning rush-hour blast, which turned the trolleybus into a twisted wreck and left bodies lying in the street.
In Sunday's attack, authorities initially described the bomber as a woman from Dagestan, a hub of Islamist militancy in the Caucasus, but later said the bomber may have been a man.In Sunday's attack, authorities initially described the bomber as a woman from Dagestan, a hub of Islamist militancy in the Caucasus, but later said the bomber may have been a man.
Volgograd was also the scene of an attack in October, when a woman from Dagestan killed seven people in a suicide bus blast.Volgograd was also the scene of an attack in October, when a woman from Dagestan killed seven people in a suicide bus blast.
The violence raised fears of a concerted campaign before the Olympics, an important project for Putin, who secured Russia's first post-Soviet Games in 2007, during his initial 2000-2008 stint as president.The violence raised fears of a concerted campaign before the Olympics, an important project for Putin, who secured Russia's first post-Soviet Games in 2007, during his initial 2000-2008 stint as president.
Intended to showcase how Russia has changed since the collapse of Soviet communism in 1991, the Games have also been a focus for complaints in the west and among Russian liberals that Putin has stifled dissent and encouraged intolerance.Intended to showcase how Russia has changed since the collapse of Soviet communism in 1991, the Games have also been a focus for complaints in the west and among Russian liberals that Putin has stifled dissent and encouraged intolerance.
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