MOSCOW, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - A man claiming to be an accomplice to Chechen militants has surrendered to law enforcement agencies in southern Russia, a regional police official said Saturday.
"On Friday, in the town of Kamyzyak [35 km to the south of the Caspian city of Astrakhan], an accomplice to [Chechen] militants gave himself up to police," he said, adding that the man had confessed to giving assistance to members of illegal armed formations, in particular by making available his car to them in November 2005.
Following the July 10 killing of terrorist no.1 Shamil Basayev, who claimed responsibility for the 2004 Beslan school massacre and other atrocities, the Kremlin announced a chance for militants to lay down their arms and return to a peaceful life. The original deadline was set for August 1 but was extended until September 30. A total of 88 gunmen have taken advantage of the offer.
