GROZNY. Nov 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Investigators have identified four militants killed in a special operation in the Vedeno district, acting Chechen Interior Minister Ruslan Alkhanov told Interfax on Monday.
"Four militants whose bodies were brought from the operation scene have been identified and the identification confirmed. They were Rizvan Isayev from Dyshne-Vedeno, Magomed-Emi Bagiyev from Tsa-Vedeno, Zainalbek Bikayev from Dyshne-Vedeno and also Khamzat Sadayev," he said.
"All four were men whom Shamil Basayev (a prominent field commander - Interfax) greatly trusted and whom he instructed to conduct the most inhuman actions involving terrorism and shelling," Alkhanov said.
He said over 20 militants were killed on Monday.
Quoting operational reports he said that also killed was a Wahhabi chief known as Khairulla who had been among the organizers of the May 9 act of terrorism in Grozny in which Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov and Chairman of the State Council Khusein Isayev died.
"We have every reason to believe that Khairulla was killed together with the rest," Alkhanov said.
He said that the house from which the militants were offering armed resistance to the authorities fully burned down.
"Measures will be taken to identify the bodies to have the legal reasons to prove Khairulla's liquidation," Alkhanov said.
Meanwhile, on Monday afternoon large-scale checks were launched in Grozny and its environs involving Chechen Interior Ministry units and military commandant's offices, he said.
"Reinforced patrols have been put up in all approaches to Grozny, in key highways in Chechnya and virtually in all street crossings in Grozny. The boots of all cars are checked as well as the documents of passengers and drivers," he said.
"The effort is preventive and aimed at seizing terrorists, members of illegal armed units and their collaborators. In the process the interests of civilians are not trampled on, communities have not been sealed off. Law-abiding citizens can travel freely," Alkhanov said.