Russian PM Attacks Rioters

The Russian Prime Minister has hit out at the drunken soccer fans who rioted in Moscow after their national side was beaten by Japan at the World Cup.

Mikhail Kasyanov said those who took part in the rampage - which saw at least one person killed and more than 100 others injured - were "outrageous hooligans" and not true football fans.

He also said that repeat of the violence could dash Russia's hopes of hosting the Euro 2008 soccer finals.

Mr Kasyanov said police, hopelessly overstretched by Sunday's disturbances in which cars were torched and shops and restaurants attacked, should take a hard look at security for future open-air screenings of major sporting events.

More than 100 people have been arrested after the worst violence in Moscow since the 1993 shelling of parliament.

Up to 400 supporters, many of them the worse for drink, embarked on an orgy of violence after watching Russia's 1-0 defeat to Japan.

The trouble started near President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin offices where thousands were watching the action on a big outdoor screen.

The violence forced Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov to summon Moscow city police chief Vladimir Pronin to urgent talks.

It is understood Mr Gryzlov has ordered an internal investigation into police actions.

A policeman remains critically ill with stab wounds.

Beer bottles, sticks and other missiles rained down on the outnumbered police, who took 90 minutes to restore order.