Bomb defused by Federal Forces in Dagestan Mosque

The Federal Security Service defused a powerful homemade bomb in the early hours of Sunday morning just a few hours after unidentified assailants opened fire on worshipers in a Mosque in Dagestan.

A police source told Interfax that the FSB bomb disposal squad disarmed the device at roughly 6 a.m. local time in a Shiite mosque in the southern city of Khasavyurt.

The bomb comprised of a gas canister stuffed with explosives and had a force equivalent to between 30 and 40 kilograms of TNT, the source added.

RIA-Novosti reported that a second bomb exploded before FSB operatives could defuse it, although investigators and the police source denied the report.

According to preliminary information, the bomb was planted by two masked men who stormed into the mosque just before 9 p.m. Saturday night and opened fire on those praying inside.

Investigators said in a statement that 8 people were injured in the attack, adding that all were rushed to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds. It was unclear Sunday whether their condition was critical.

Criminal cases have been opened on charges of attempted murder, illegals weapons trafficking and illegal bomb production, the statement read.

The weekend attacks in the unstable Dagestan republic come as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is set to end Sunday.

Ramadan is traditionally followed by three-day festivities known as Eid-ul-Fitr, when Muslims break their monthlong practice of fasting from dawn to dusk.

Police promised to implement added security measures over the festive period, including guarding all large mosques.

On July 19, the eve of Ramadan, masked gunmen killed a senior Muslim cleric and attempted to blow up the chief mufti in the Tatarstan republic. An organization called the Mujahedin of Tatarstan later took responsibility for the attack in video clips posted on the Internet.

 

The Moscow Times