Terrorist attack averted in Russia's Dagestan region

Police claimed Thursday to have prevented a terrorist attack targeting senior officials in Russia's violence-plagued Dagestan region after discovering five powerful bombs that militants had planned to use in the attack.

Police found five barrels packed with explosives in a building in a mountain village west of the regional capital, Makhachkala, Dagestan Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Musayev told.

Militants had initially planned to use the bombs in an attack during a recent Muslim holiday, but had been unable to organize it and decided instead to target a weekend wrestling tournament that was likely to be attended by regional government leaders.

No arrests were announced yet. The statement came on Police Day, an annual Russian celebration of the police, RIA-Novosti reports.

V.Y.