Commenting on the March 29 twin subway bombings on Tuesday, Vladimir Vasilyev, head of the Russian State Duma's Security Committee, called for more steps to protect Moscow citizens from possible new terrorist attacks on the city transportation system. Needless to say, Muscovites themselves should redouble their vigilance in the wake of the deadly blasts, Vasilyev said.
The twin explosions ripped through Moscow's subway on Monday morning in an attack that was the deadliest in the city in six years, Vasilyev recalled. In 2004, 40 people were killed and 200 more injured in a suicide blast that hit the Avtozavodskaya and Paveletskaya metro stations , he said.
An array of previous anti-terror steps sadly failed to prevent suicide bombers from successfully accomplish their mission on March 29, Vasilyev admitted:
"Preventing a terror attack by a female suicide attacker is an uphill task, not least because of her strong drive to implement her mission by all means", Vasilyev says. "On Monday", he adds, "two young women blew up their suicide-belt bombs filled with bolts and iron rods - something that hammers home how careful we all should be when it comes to a terrorist threat. A meticulous analysis is needed so as to create more mechanisms to protect our dear ones from terrorists", Vasilyev concludes.
In any case, positive changes are under way, analysts say, pointing to CCTV cameras and fire-proof equipment that are already in place in the Moscow Metro and that added significantly to saving dozens of people during the Monday blasts. Vladimir Vasilyev again:
"All the city services were immediately in place to minimize the aftermath of the tragedy", Vasilyev says, "citing rescuers using several helicopters to quickly transport some seriously injured to hospitals".
Investigators have yet to elaborate on the Monday terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 38 people, Vasilyev said, not ruling out that the North Caucasus-based militants may be behind the bombings. The peace-leaning policy Moscow is currently pursuing in the region understandably infuriates local gunmen, who have repeatedly signaled readiness to take revenge upon Moscow' desire to finally bring peace to the volatile North Caucasus, Vasilyev stressed.
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