Explosions and Suspects

• Investigators from the Samara Regional Prosecutor's Office have already left for Voronezh to interrogate the detainees.

Suspect in Organizing Explosions in Voronezh Detained

• On Thursday, the Voronezh Regional Prosecutor's Office officially announced the detention of a suspect in four terrorist attacks that occurred at public transport stops in Voronezh on:

  • February 19, 2004
  • July 19, 2004
  • June 26, 2004
  • January 26, 2005

• Galina Gorshkova, senior assistant to the Voronezh regional prosecutor, told "Vremya Novostei" that:

  • An investigative-operational group consisting of the FSB and the UBOP of the GUVD for the Voronezh region and the central apparatus of the FSB detained the suspect on May 8.
  • On May 10, he was arrested on charges of terrorism and murder.
  • The investigation has strong evidence that the accused committed repeated terrorist attacks not only in Voronezh.
  • In a forest area, he showed a cache containing explosives and accompanying components.
  • The detainee confessed that several years ago he converted to Islam and adheres to Wahhabi views, which led him to commit the crimes.

• Gorshkova also added that:

  • The arrested man is originally from the Rostov region and rented an apartment in Voronezh, but she did not name him.
  • During a search of the apartment, two fake passports were found in the name of a certain Panaryin M.A.
  • According to investigators, Panaryin began to give confessions and gave up his accomplices to the investigators: Khubiev and Shalaev.
  • The latter were also arrested and accused of murder and terror.
  • These people were mentioned by the head of the FSB, Nikolai Patrushev, in yesterday's speech in the State Duma as participants in the organization of terrorist attacks in Russian cities.

• Another source in the special services stated:

  • "We know their names only from the documents that the suspects had in their hands at the time of detention. Whether they are real or fictitious will become known after a series of examinations and interrogations."
  • He confirmed only the arrest of two of them—Khubiev and Panaryin—while, according to him, only the latter is involved in the explosions in Voronezh.
  • Voronezh special services assume that Panaryin was preparing another terrorist attack in the city for May 9, but was exposed a day before.

• The Voronezh special services describe Panaryin as:

  • "Quite an interesting personality."
  • "By the way, a Slav."
  • The reasons that pushed him to crimes are still unclear.
  • They assume that the accused underwent training in the camps of field commanders in Chechnya or Ingushetia, where he attracted attention due to his Slavic appearance, as he would not arouse suspicion among the special services.
  • It is not known for certain whether Panaryin converted to Islam and fought against federal forces, but they have evidence that it was he who was involved in the terrorist attacks at bus stops.