Police, troops heavy in bomb-hit Russian city

VOLGOGRAD, Russia (AP) -- Thousands of police officers and paramilitary forces are on duty in the Russian city of Volgograd, which is reeling from two suicide bombings in two days that killed 34 people and raised fears that a terrorist campaign may have begun that could stretch into the Winter Olympics.

In the wake of Sunday's bombing at the city's main railway station and Monday's blast on a trolleybus, police reinforcements and Interior Ministry troops have been sent into the city, regional police official Andrei Pilipchuk was quoted as telling the Interfax news agency. He said more than 5,200 security forces are deployed in the city of 1 million.

The Health Ministry said three more victims died on Tuesday, raising the toll to 34 - 18 from the station bombing and 16 from the bus. Officials said 65 other people were hospitalized with injuries.

Volgograd authorities have canceled mass events for New Year's Eve, one of Russia's most popular holidays, and asked residents not to set off fireworks. In Moscow, festivities were to go ahead but authorities said security would be increased.

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Was the Volgograd train station suicide bomber a Russian paramedic who converted to Islam and joined terrorist cell ?

A former paramedic who converted to Islam and joined a militant cell could be the Volgograd train station suicide bomber according to investigators.

The new prime suspect has been identified as Pavel Pechyonkin, and not 26-year-old woman Oksana Aslanova as was previously believed.

Police now think that Pechonkin, who left to join Dagestani militants in 2011, carried out the devastating attack which killed 17 people on Sunday.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2531254/Was-Volograd-train-station-suicide-bomber-Russian-paramedic-converted-Islam-joined-terrorist-cell.html#ixzz2p3FkuCTG