Two suicide bombings in Russian city of Volgograd just before the opening of Sochi Olympics have renewed fears that a Chechen terrorist known as the ‘Russian bin Laden’ may be behind the blasts.
The ‘Russian bin Laden’ is committing or inspiring more attacks on so-called soft targets, and possibly major international sporting events.
According to the Washington Times, such concerns came to light in April amid evidence that one of the two young Chechen immigrants who carried out two deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon drew inspiration from Doku Umarov.
Umarov is the 49-year-old leader of the regional terrorist network known as the Caucasus Emirate whose stated goal is to establish an Islamic state inside Russia.
U.S. and Russian intelligence are trying to gather information on how and what active role Umarov may have played in plotting and ordering the two suicide bombings in Volgograd.
Nearly 29 people were killed in the two bombings in Volgograd.
A U.S. intelligence official, noted that Umarov circulated a video last summer in which he ‘was advocating taking action against the Olympics and disrupting the Olympics to bring visibility to the cause of the Chechen people,’ the report added. (ANI)