RUSSIA: Russian authorities were last night investigating the mysterious death in police custody of a man accused of driving an explosives-packed car into central Moscow.
In the wake of the bloody siege at the school in Beslan, explosions that brought down two airliners and a suicide bombing in Moscow, security services have been on high alert for further attacks by separatist rebels from Chechnya.
Mr Alexander Pumane, from St Petersburg, was arrested early on Saturday driving what police said was a car containing an explosive substance wired to two landmines and a remote control device. Russian media said Mr Pumane claimed to have been given $1,000 to park two cars near a main avenue used by President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials to reach the Kremlin.
Yesterday, the city's prosecutor said a criminal case had been opened after Mr Pumane was found to have died from wounds suffered while in custody.
