Russia: Suspected subway bomb organiser arrested

Russia's Federal Security Service on Monday said it has arrested a suspected organizer of the suicide bombing in the St. Petersburg subway that killed 14 passengers.

Russia's Federal Security Service, as cited by RIA news agency, identified him as Abror Azimov, who was born in 1990 and is from Central Asia. The suspect was arrested in Odintsovo, a city just outside Moscow.

It said the suspect was armed with a pistol and was of Central Asian origin, but did not elaborate. The suspect is the ninth person to have been detained on suspicion of having colluded with the bomber, Akbarzhon Jalilov, since the attack on 3 April.

Azimov has been accused of training Jalilov to use the bomb, which he took with him on a train and detonated, killing himself in the explosion.

The attack happened the same day that leader Vladimir Putin was visiting the city. The death toll came to 14 people.

A further 49 people were sent to hospital. The blast took place between Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut underground stations.

The impoverished, predominantly Muslim countries in Central Asia are seen as fertile ground for Islamic extremists.