An explosion that ripped through the main gas pipeline in the southern Russian region of Dagestan was caused by sabotage and prosecutors have opened a criminal case on terrorism charges, the regional Interior Ministry said today. The Wednesday night blast was the fourth this year to hit the Dagestani section of the Mozdok-Gazimagomed pipeline, which together with its arteries stretches 750 miles. One stretch of the pipeline, which spans the Terek River separating Dagestan from the war-shattered region of Chechnya, has been blown open at least three times since 1996, said Ullubiy Erbolatov, a spokesman for the regional natural gas company. No one immediately took responsibility for the explosion, which sent flames soaring into the air and lit up the night sky, but Chechen rebel leaders previously have threatened and been blamed for attacks against pipelines, electricity towers and other infrastructure in Russia. Full Story
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