Landmines car stopped by Moscow police

Russian security officials said today that police stopped a man driving a car wired with land mines and explosives in central Moscow.

A duty officer at the Federal Security Service said the unidentified man was stopped by Moscow police around 1am.

Police questioned him and found two land mines in the car, along with 200 grams (7 ounces) of TNT under the driver’s seat. The mines were connected with wires and apparently had an antenna attached to them.

The man, who appeared to be intoxicated, told police he had been paid £560 to park two cars with explosives in them along a Moscow street frequently used by top government officials, said the duty officer, who refused to give his name.

Police later located a second car in a residential neighbourhood in central Moscow and used a water cannon to open it. No explosives were found but residents of nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution, the officer said.

The duty officer confirmed that the man later died while in police custody, but he refused to elaborate.