Messenger of Aslan Maskhadov, president of Ichkeria, detained in Chechnya

A criminal, a messenger of Aslan Maskhadov, "the president of independent Ichkeria," (the name the Chechen separatists have given to Chechnya) has been detained in the Kurchaloi district, Chechnya.

As a source at the Regional Operations Staff on controlling the antiterrorist operation in the North Caucasus said on Monday, the criminal, born 1970, lived in the village of Bachi-Yurt and was a member of the armed formations of Aslan Maskhadov and his messenger.

It has been established that on June 25, 2002, a gang leaded by the detainee, exploded a Ural car with the servicemen of the federal forces in the settlement of Gansolchu, the Kurchaloi district of Chechnya.

The criminal said that a cache of weapons and ammunition was discovered in the village of Bachi-Yurt.

At present investigation is being carried out to establish whether the detainee was involved in earlier committed crimes