Homeland bloc to give $500,000 reward for Shamil Basayev

The Homeland bloc, one of the winners of the December 7 parliamentary elections along with United Russia, KPRF and LDPR, is going to keep its promise to give a 15 million ruble (over half a million US dollars) reward for the capture of Chechen terrorist number one Shamil Basayev, said Dmitry Rogozin, one of the bloc leaders, at a Moscow press conference Tuesday.

"We confirm our promise, 15 million rubles are still on the bloc's election account," he said.

According to the election legislation, the party or bloc may keep money on their election accounts until January 7.

Central election commission representatives earlier said they don't see in Homeland's actions any direct violation of election legislation, but think such way of spending the election funds is a no-purpose one.