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Dozens hurt in Belarus bomb blast
by Sanjay Jha | July 4, 2008 at 01:48 am | 224 views | 1 comment | 0 recommendations
A powerful explosion occured just after midnight local time (2100 GMT), as thousands of people were gathered for a concert at a war memorial in the capital.
At least 50 people have been injured in Belarus after a bomb exploded during a concert in the capital, Minsk.
The event was taking place in the centre of the city to mark the ex-Soviet nation's independence day.
President Alexander Lukashenko, whose rule has been denounced as autocratic by the US and the European Union, was attending the concert.
Police later found an unexploded device in Minsk, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted the interior ministry as saying.
There is no clear motive for the attack, but police say it may have been an act of "hooliganism".
July 4, 2008 at 01:48 am by Sanjay Jha, 224 views, 1 comment
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 11:00 on July 4th, 2008
More explanations from the International Herald Tribune:
"Belarus is an autocratic country, saturated with police and security personnel, making widespread disorder rare. Shortly after presidential elections in 2006, police and riot forces aggressively quashed what were for Belarus sizable anti-government protests. Such protests have not occurred since."
"President Aleksandr Lukashenko presided over the Minsk holiday events but was not present at the time of the explosion. Officials said it did not appear that he was the target."
Officials insist it was an act of hooliganism though.