Ahern offers Russia help in the fight against terrorism

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said Ireland is prepared to offer assistance to Russia in the fight against terrorism. Mr Ahern, who is in Moscow on an official visit, said "it is nothing to be proud of but we have built up a great deal of expertise in fighting terrorism." If Ireland could help Russia in any way it was prepared to do so, he said.

Almost 300 people have died in Russia after four bomb attacks in the past two weeks. The bombs were admitted yesterday by an organisation calling itself the Dagestan Liberation Army.

Russian forces are fighting Islamist rebels in the southern Dagestan region. The rebels invaded the territory from neighbouring Chechnya on August 7th and still hold a number of villages.

Speaking after the signing of a bilateral agreement to fight crime and drug trafficking, the Russian Prime Minister, Mr Vladimir Putin, said the Russian authorities know the names of those who committed the terrorist acts.

"They are from the Chechen Republic," he said, adding that Russian would make a request to the Chechen authorities to hand over the suspects so they could be brought to justice.

Large amounts of explosives and other material were discovered in Moscow, Mr Putin said.

Yesterday, a lorry-load of bomb-making equipment, in sacks ostensibly containing sugar, was intercepted en route to Moscow from the south.

The Taoiseach, accompanied by Ms Celia Larkin, the Irish Ambassador to Russia, Mr David Donoghue, and Mrs Jill Donoghue, as well as officials from both countries, lunched with Mr Putin following a meeting in the Moscow White House.

Mr Ahern laid a wreath of green, white and orange flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier in the Alexandrovsky Gardens near the Kremlin as a Russian army band played Amhran na bhFiann.

Following a visit to the Kremlin museum the Irish party walked through Red Square.

An official reception was held in the Irish Embassy last evening, attended by Russian officials, members of the diplomatic corps and members of Moscow's Irish community.

At the reception Mr Ahern officially launched Moscow: A Guide to Soviet and post-Soviet Architecture, by the Irish architect, Ms Maria Kiernan.

Today Mr Ahern will hold meetings with the Mayor of Moscow, Mr Yuri Luzhkov, the former prime minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov and the Mayor of St Petersburg, Mr Vladimir Yakovlev, who will be in Moscow for the occasion. The Taoiseach will then fly to St Petersburg for a brief visit before returning to Ireland.