Police investigators: Suicide bomber was trained at saboteur camp

A Chechen suicide bomber, whose truck bomb exploded in Grozny the other day, used to live in Neftekumsk district, Stavropol territory (North Caucasus). His passport was found near the exploded truck. This was disclosed to RIA-NOVOSTI here today by Col. Victor Barnash, chief of the organized-crime squad of the Stavropol territorial police department's CID (Crime-Investigation department).

According to Barnash, Zakir Abdulzaliyev (1984-2003) was influenced by the Wahhabis and trained at a Chechen saboteur camp. Abdulzaliyev was linked with unlawful paramilitary units.

We knew that Abdulzaliyev had ties with the so-called Nogai extremist battalion; unlike other members of that battalion, who were detained by us, he managed to escape, Barnash told RIA-NOVOSTI.

The Neftekumsk district police department initiated a federal manhunt for Abdulzaliyev March 4, 2003.