Russian Prosecutor General acknowledging growth of nationalism in the country

Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov has announced "alarming trends" in extremist displays in the country. The level of extremism in Russia should not be considered "a total threat" yet it cannot be boiled down to football fans' activities and remarks of individual politicians, Ustinov emphasized, when speaking in the parliament on Wednesday.

The Prosecutor General acknowledged the growth of nationalism and accidental violence outbursts in Russia. Touching upon the law-enforcement and trial practice in the fight with extremism, he warned against "going off the right track to prosecute dissent".

292 cases of terrorism have been registered in Russia over the nine months of 2002, he said. This does not exceed 0.02 per cent of the total number of registered crimes, yet "there are dozens of dead and hundreds of wounded behind every act of terrorism," the Prosecutor General emphasized.

Terrorist attacks mainly occur in the country's South Federal district, for example, in Chechnya, he said. Yet they have also been registered in other regions, in 16 out of the 89 of the Federation's constituent members.

Over the nine months of this year the courts received more than 10 cases on crimes connected with terrorism and 10 criminal cases on kindling national and religious discord. Last year 34 people were sentenced for terrorism in Russia, the Prosecutor reported.