Prosecutor-General's Office of Turkmenia investigates attempt on President Saparmurat Niyazov's life

The Prosecutor-General's Office of Turkmenistan is investigating the attempt on the life of President of the republic Saparmurat Niyazov. A criminal case on the fact of the attempt made on the day before was launched under several articles, including on infringement on the president of Turkmenia, which envisages a 15-25 years of imprisonment.

Speaking on the national television, Niyazov said that on Monday near the stadium in Prospekt Turkmenbashi three automobiles - a KamAZ, a BMW and a Gazel, the first two having state number plates, cut off part of the president's motorcade, and launched a skirmish. Niyazov stated that he had not noticed how fire had been opened on his motorcade and had learnt of the attempt only at the office. As the president said, he was driving his car himself.

A staffer of the road control service of the Ministry of Defence (he was run over by a truck) and two attackers were gravely wounded during fire exchange. The military traffic inspector is at hospital where he has undergone surgery.

The attackers managed to escape from the scene of the crime but some suspects have been detained.

In the course of the meeting of the government of Turkmenia held in the afternoon, Niyazov stated that former Vice-Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Boris Shikhmuradov, ex-head of the Central Bank and Vice-Premier Khudaiberdy Orazov, former Ambassador of Turkmenia to Turkey Nurmukhammed Khanamov, and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Imamdurdy Yklymov stand behind "this case".