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Tue, Feb 07 2012
Grenade blast wounds 36 in Chisinau, authorities charge unknown 'terrorist'
A victim of the grenade blast is seen in a hospital in Chisinau on October 15 2009
Thirty-six people had to be treated for wounds in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, after a grenade was detonated during the celebrations of the town's patron saint on the evening of October 14.
Four injured people required an overnight stay in hospital, but the aftermath could have been much worse, authorities said.
The perpetrator, who remains unknown, used an RG-42 Soviet-made fragmentation grenade, which has a blast radius of about 20m, interior minister Victor Catan told a news conference on October 15.
Prosecutor-general Valeriu Zubco said that he ordered an investigation, citing the penal code article referring to terrorist activity. "We first considered premedidated murder, but taking into account all facts, we believe it was meant as a threat to the general public and the government," Zubco said.
The grenade was detonated shortly after 10pm just off the city's main square where thousands of people had congregated for a concert. In the future, such events might not be held in the square, to avoid a repeat, Catan said.
"Police cannot search everyone in a crowd of tens of thousands of people in case of an event in the Grand National Assembly Square. We will ask the local authorities to hold such events in a stadium in the future, so that the police can check each person individually," he said.
He was keen to downplay any possible link to the deep political divisions that have emerged over the past months between the Communist party, formerly in government, and the pro-Western parties that have a slim majority in parliament now. Anti-Communist protesters clashed with the police on April 7, when a protest against the results of parliamentary elections, which the Communists were accused to have rigged, resulted in a riot that left the parliament and presidency buildings torched.
"I do not think that there is a political party that would want a terrorist act. But there are groups and other external factors that do not want Moldova joining the European Union," Catan said.
At the same time, he relayed a message from prime minister Vlad Filat: "Prime minister Vlad Filat asked Commmunist leader Vladimir Voronin that his party abstain from statements that could incite social discord."
Former president Voronin, who stepped down after serving the constitutional limit of two terms, has clashed repeatedly with the new ruling coalition, making unflattering remarks about his political opponents and accusing them of orchestrating the April riots.
Four injured people required an overnight stay in hospital, but the aftermath could have been much worse, authorities said.
The perpetrator, who remains unknown, used an RG-42 Soviet-made fragmentation grenade, which has a blast radius of about 20m, interior minister Victor Catan told a news conference on October 15.
Prosecutor-general Valeriu Zubco said that he ordered an investigation, citing the penal code article referring to terrorist activity. "We first considered premedidated murder, but taking into account all facts, we believe it was meant as a threat to the general public and the government," Zubco said.
The grenade was detonated shortly after 10pm just off the city's main square where thousands of people had congregated for a concert. In the future, such events might not be held in the square, to avoid a repeat, Catan said.
"Police cannot search everyone in a crowd of tens of thousands of people in case of an event in the Grand National Assembly Square. We will ask the local authorities to hold such events in a stadium in the future, so that the police can check each person individually," he said.
He was keen to downplay any possible link to the deep political divisions that have emerged over the past months between the Communist party, formerly in government, and the pro-Western parties that have a slim majority in parliament now. Anti-Communist protesters clashed with the police on April 7, when a protest against the results of parliamentary elections, which the Communists were accused to have rigged, resulted in a riot that left the parliament and presidency buildings torched.
"I do not think that there is a political party that would want a terrorist act. But there are groups and other external factors that do not want Moldova joining the European Union," Catan said.
At the same time, he relayed a message from prime minister Vlad Filat: "Prime minister Vlad Filat asked Commmunist leader Vladimir Voronin that his party abstain from statements that could incite social discord."
Former president Voronin, who stepped down after serving the constitutional limit of two terms, has clashed repeatedly with the new ruling coalition, making unflattering remarks about his political opponents and accusing them of orchestrating the April riots.
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