DUSHANBE, March 18, Asia-Plus — The Tajik Embassy in Moscow on March 17 posted an official statement on its website
www.tajikistan.ru
denying an article entitled “Attempted Murder of the President Averted” published in Russia’s newspaper “Tvoy Den” (Your Day) on March 15, 2008 as “unfounded.”
The newspaper noted that attempted murder of the Russian president was averted in Moscow on March, 2008 and executor of that failed attempt was Shahvelad Osmaov, who is allegedly native of the Republic of Tajikistan.
“The Embassy has applied to relevant official bodies of the Russian Federation and revealed that Russian national Shahvelad Osmanov, native of Russia’s Dagestan Republic, was detained on March 2, 2008 in Moscow with firearms,” the statement said, noting that Osmanov was detained and criminal proceedings were instituted against him.
According to the statement, stressing that the terrorist was native of Tajikistan, the newspaper probably executed somebody’s order for creating an atmosphere of distrust, suspiciousness and hate towards Tajik nationals in Russia.
The Tajik side has assessed the article as a provocative move aimed at worsening the situation connected with presence of Tajik nationals in Russia, the statement said. The embassy demanded that the newspaper should apologize and publish a disclaimer.
In the meantime, Russian special services on March 16 denied the report about the attempted murder of the president as “unfounded.” It was noted that firearms had been found in an apartment rented by Osmanov but there had been no any attempted murder.
