Terrorist threat still facing Russia

The General Prosecutor's Office has information that a terrorist threat still faces Russia, Russian Deputy General Prosecutor Vladimir Kolesnikov announced today. "If there are no changes in social and economic situation, no improvements in the fight against terrorism are to be expected and terrorism will dig in, with terrorist networks further extending", the official stressed. According to Kolesnikov, the North Caucasus and Moscow will remain the most unsafe among Russian regions.

According to official data, the number of terrorism-related crimes is rising. Last year their total number amounted to 561, against 339 and 407 in 2001 and 2002 respectively. The situation in Chechnya is considered to be the main reason for these developments. Meanwhile, terrorism-related crime detection is insignificant: only between 30 and 35 percent of terrorism-related crimes are solved.

The official believes it is necessary to intensify cooperation of related law-enforcement agencies on an international level in order to improve the situation.