Chechnya launches drive against kidnappers holding 60 hostages

The authorities in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya are launching "active actions" from Friday against groups who are holding some 60 people hostage, ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

It quoted Chechen prosecutor-general Khavash Serbievas as saying all Chechnya's "power-wielding structures" have been put on alert following the expiry on Tuesday of an ultimatum to the kidnappers set by the Chechen leadership and most influential field commanders last month.

Those held include ten foreigners: five Poles abducted two weeks ago, two Britons Camilla Carr and Jon James kidnapped last summer, two Hungarian nationals and a Turkish businessman.

The agency quoted the Chechen interior ministry as saying 29 groups, include several run by "notorious" field commanders, are involved in kidnapping.

Russian Ekho Moskvy radio reported on Friday that two North Ossetian businessmen have been kidnapped in the neighbouring Russian republic of Ingushetia.

It said the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of 500,000 dollars for their release.

BBC Monitoring (http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk), based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.