Russia to up anti-terrorism measures after train derailment

Moscow - Russia announced Tuesday that it was stepping up security precautions following an attack on a train between Moscow and St Petersburg that is believed to have been carried out by terrorists. A package of extra measures aimed at preventing terrorism and dealing with possible emergencies was necessary, the leader of the Federal Security Service (FSB) Nikolai Patrushev was cited by Russian news agencies as saying.

Russian prosecutors have launched an investigation into a possible terrorist attack after at least 60 people were injured when an express train derailed near Novgorod in a case of suspected rail sabotage.

It could not be allowed that terrorists or extremist acts destabilize the situation in the country, said Patrushev, who also heads up the National Anti-Terrorism Committee.

Chechen rebels and affiliated extremists from the Caucusus region have carried out frequent attacks on the civilian population in Russia.

Most recently in August 2006, 11 people were killed and 45 wounded in a bomb attack on a busy Moscow market.

The remains of a homemade bomb, which investigators said had the equivalent force of 2 kilograms of TNT, was found at the accident site in north-western Russia, the Itar-Tass news agency reported Tuesday.

An explosion caused the Nevsky Express, one of Russia's most modern trains, travelling from Moscow to St Petersburg to derail Monday night at nearly 180 kilometres per hour with more than 200 people on board.

The engineer said that immediately before the derailment, he heard an explosion, and a crater nearly a metre and a half deep was found at the accident site near Malaya Vishera.

Twenty people reportedly sustained serious injuries, including three in critical condition. Children and an Italian were among the passengers brought to hospital, Echo Moskvy radio reported.

The normally busy stretch of track was expected to remain closed until Tuesday afternoon while investigations continued.

There were no immediate details about the reason for Monday night's train attack, but it took place as Russia, China and four former Central Asian Soviet republics were taking part in anti- terrorist drills in the southern Ural region.

The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) plan to meet in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Thursday to discuss ways of fighting terrorism.