Friday, August 31, 2012

Ethnic Russian Woman Named as Suicide Bomber; Killed 8, Including 11-Year-Old Boy, Muslim Cleric

An ethnic Russian woman -- who was both wife and widow of Islamist militants -- has been named as the suicide bomber who killed a moderate Muslim cleric in Dagestan in the North Caucasus on August 28, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin was pleading for national unity, the Europe News website reports today (August 31, 2012).

Police said Aminat Kurbanova -- a resident of Makhachkala -- had posed as a pilgrim to the home of Said Atsayev, 74, in Chirkei and detonated an explosive belt packed with nails and ball bearings, killing Atsayev, herself, and six others, including an 11-year-old boy visiting with his parents.

A security official said the woman -- aged 29 or 30 -- was born with the ethnic Russian surname Saprykina, but converted to Islam and was married to an Islamist militant. Two previous husbands -- also militants -- had been killed, the official added.

The bombing came as Putin made a rousing call for religious and ethnic concord to counter extremism.

No comments:

Post a Comment