Israeli, US experts to help Uzbekistan investigate into recent terrorist blasts in Tashkent

Israeli and American experts are investigating into the terrorist blasts that were staged near their countries' embassies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, recently.

"A group of experts, largely security officers, arrived from Israel the next day after the terrorist acts. They are working with their Uzbek colleagues at the moment," said Vladimir Lopatchenko, press co-ordinator at the Israeli embassy to Uzbekistan. Mr Lopatchenko said he did not know the details of the inquiry.

The US embassy has told RIA Novosti that FBI agents have arrived in Uzbekistan to investigate into the case that was opened in the wake of an attack at a US facility abroad. The embassy denied further details.

Svetlana Artykova, press secretary of Uzbekistan's Prosecutor General's Office, has confirmed the arrival of Interpol, FBI, and MOSSAD officials. However, Ms Artykova said the foreign experts were not engaged in the investigation.

"They have offered their assistance. However, there is no urgent need in it. The guests saw that our people have enough qualification to do the job. None of them is engaged in the investigation. They probably believe talking to the team of investigators is equal to taking part in investigative experiments," said Ms Artykova.

The press secretary said the terrorists' personalities were being identified.

Suicide bombers blew themselves up near the US and Israeli embassies, and the Prosecutor General's Office in Tashkent last Friday.

The blast near the Israeli embassy killed two Uzbekistan nationals, one more person died in hospital later, and injured several persons.

The Uzbek president, who is heading the state commission inquiring into the terrorist attacks, blamed the illegal Hizb ut Tahrir (or Islamic Liberation Party) for the blasts, although the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (Hizb ut Tahrir's branch in Uzbekistan) published information on the Internet immediately after the blasts claiming responsibility for them, according to France Press.