Kyrgyz parliamentarian killed today was close to former president

Kyrgyz police say the murder of parliamentarian Zhyrgalbek Surabaldiyev could have been linked to his close ties with the family of the former Kyrgyz leader, Askar Akayev, a Kyrgyz police officer said.

Zhyrgalbek Surabaldiyev, 51, was killed in central Bishkek today.

In Kyrgyzstan, his name is associated with the Akayev family. According to some sources, Surabaldiyev formed detachments of the so-called "white caps" who organized clashes with those protesting against the Akayev regime during the coup on March 24.

Before the government house was seized, about 300 white caps armed with batons and shields attacked the protesters on the central square in Bishkek.

This clash agitated the crowd and provoked the storm of the building.