Five killed in Russian train blasts

AT least five people were killed and more than 30 others injured when two explosions rocked a commuter train in a southern Russian town near the war-torn Muslim republic of Chechnya.

An emergencies ministry’s spokesman said at least 32 other people, many of them teenagers travelling to attend university classes in the town of Pyatigorsk, were injured in the blasts after suffering severe burns and shrapnel wounds.

“Everything shook from side to side. All that I can remember is lots of dust all over the place and everything shaking,” Ilya Kamyshanov told Rossia state television from his hospital bed in the Stavropol region.

Officials did not link the attack to Chechen rebels, although a wave of bombings linked to the separatist guerrillas has struck Russia ahead of an October 5 presidential poll in the republic, claiming more than 150 lives.

The elections were called by President Vladimir Putin in a bid to find a political solution to the four-year conflict. However, the Chechen rebels have vowed not to recognise the vote.

Putin flew to the region to meet Governor Alexander Chernogorov and oversee the investigation.

The ITAR-TASS news agency said two home-made explosive devices had been planted under the rails on the track rather than on the train itself region to meet Governor Alexander Chernogorov and oversee the investigation.

The ITAR-TASS news agency said two home-made explosive devices had been planted under the rails on the track rather than on the train itself It said police had arrested a badly injured man who tried to flee the scene of the attack and who, they suspected, may have set off the blast.

Some analysts suggest the rebels have decided to adopt tactics used by Palestinians in the Middle East conflict, resorting to suicide bombing and other means of guerrilla warfare.