Russia detains bomb suspects

Police are on heigh alert across Russia

Police and troops have carried out a huge operation in Russia's turbulent south, detaining suspects and mounting roadblocks as they hunt for car bombers who killed more than 20 people on Saturday.

Officials have accused separatist guerrillas in breakaway Chechnya of masterminding the attacks, and President Vladimir Putin called for "the toughest measures" against the bombers.

Armed policemen are patrolling the streets and traffic police are stopping and checking every vehicle

Interior Ministry official

Mr Putin's envoy to southern Russia, Viktor Kazantsev, said police had detained at least one strong suspect in the case and prosecutors in Chechnya said that they had arrested three more people in connection with the bombings.

"I am sure that this case will be resolved and that the criminals will be punished," Mr Kazantsev said.

Doctors have said that another man has died in hospital of injuries received in one of Saturday's three blasts, bringing the death toll to 22, as local authorities prepared to bury the first victims.

The blasts in the Stavropol region and the neighbouring province of Karachayevo-Cherkessia injured 141 others. Of those, 20 are reported to be in a serious condition.

Stopping vehicles

The blasts are being blamed on Chechen rebels

An Interior Ministry officer in the Stavropol region town of Mineralnye Vody, where a car bomb exploded next to a busy market, said police were on a heightened state of alert.

"An increased number of armed policemen are patrolling the streets and traffic police are stopping and checking every vehicle and taking down plate numbers and route details," he said.

Police officers have also been distributing photofits of presumed bombers compiled from eyewitness accounts.

The head of the town's administration said residents were still reeling from Saturday's bombing:

"I cannot think about anything else," Mikhail Chukavin said.

Rebel leader blamed

No-one has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov told Interfax news agency that he believed Khattab, a prominent Jordanian-born rebel commander fighting in Chechnya, was behind the bombings.

Earlier this month, a Russian court said Khattab was responsible for the 1999 bombing of an apartment block in Dagestan, Chechnya's eastern neighbour, which killed 66 people.

The attack, followed by similar blasts across Russia, was used by then Prime Minister Putin as a reason to launch an offensive to return Chechnya to Moscow's fold.

The rebels have denied any role in the blasts.