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WORLD NEWS Monday 18 deceMber 2017

Kremlin says Putin thanked Trump for CIA tip on bombings

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV came from mostly Muslim
Associated Press regions in Russia’s volatile
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian North Caucasus, and one
President Vladimir Putin man was from the ex-Soviet
telephoned U.S. President nation of Tajikistan that bor-
Donald Trump Sunday to ders Afghanistan.
thank him for a CIA tip that The TV reports included
helped thwart a series of footage of a metal con-
bombings in St. Petersburg, tainer, which the suspects
the Kremlin said. used as a laboratory for
During the call, the two making explosives, ac-
leaders’ second in three cording to the FSB. Another
days, Putin expressed grati- video showed operatives
tude for the CIA informa- breaking the doors and
tion. The Kremlin said it al- raiding an apartment used
lowed Russia’s top domes- by other suspects.
tic security agency to track Last week, the FSB said it
down a group of suspects also arrested several IS-
that planned to bomb Ka- linked suspects in Moscow,
zan Cathedral and other where they allegedly were
crowded sites this week- plotting a series of suicide
end. bombings to coincide with
“The information received In this undated video grab provided by the RU-RTR Russian television via APTN in Moscow, Russia, New Year’s celebrations.
from the CIA proved suf- Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) operatives detain a suspected The latest calls between
member of the Islamic State group’s cell in St. Petersburg, Russia.
ficient to find and detain Associated Press Putin and Trump came
the criminal suspects,” the after the Russian leader
Kremlin said. terror-related intelligence, ning to carry out terror at- ings, passenger planes and praised his U.S. counterpart
It added that Putin asked Sunday’s statement from tacks in St. Petersburg this transport facilities in Russia. during a marathon news
Trump to convey gratitude the Kremlin was Russia’s weekend. In April, a suicide bomb- conference on Thursday.
to the CIA and assured him first public assertion that in- The agency said the sus- ing in the St. Petersburg’s Putin hailed Trump’s
that “if the Russian intelli- formation from the United pects were plotting a sui- subway left 16 dead and achievements, saying that
gence agencies receive in- States helped prevent an cide bombing in a church wounded more than 50. global markets have dem-
formation about potential attack. and a series of other explo- Russian TV stations have onstrated investors’ con-
terror threats against the The conversation was the sions in the city’s busiest ar- aired footage daily since fidence in Trump’s eco-
United States and its citi- second between the Rus- eas this coming weekend Friday of the suspects in the nomic policies. He said he
zens, they will immediately sian and U.S. presidents on IS orders. It said a search foiled attacks being appre- hoped the U.S. president
hand it over to their U.S. since Thursday, when of a St. Petersburg apart- hended and questioned. would be able to follow
counterparts via their com- Trump thanked Putin for his ment found explosives, au- One segment showed FSB through on his campaign
munications channels.” remarks “acknowledging tomatic weapons and ex- operatives outside a St. Pe- promises to improve ties
The CIA’s tip to Russia America’s strong econom- tremist literature. tersburg apartment build- with Russia despite pres-
comes even as Russia-U.S. ic performance,” accord- Russian news reports said ing detaining a suspect, sure from his political foes
ties have plunged to their ing to the White House. that Kazan Cathedral, a who appeared later say- at home. During the news
lowest level since the Cold During the first call, they landmark 19th century Rus- ing he was told to prepare conference, Putin also re-
War era — first over Russia’s also discussed during ways sian Orthodox church on St. homemade bombs rigged affirmed his multiple denials
annexation of Crimea and to work together to address Petersburg’s central Nevsky with shrapnel. of meddling in the 2016 U.S.
support for pro-Russia sepa- North Korea’s nuclear and Prospect, was the prime “My job was to make explo- presidential election and
ratists in Ukraine, more re- ballistic weapons program, target. sives, put it in bottles and argued that the U.S. is only
cently over allegations that the White House said. If the suspects succeeded attach pieces of shrapnel,” hurting itself with investiga-
Moscow interfered in the The Federal Security Ser- in bombing the cathedral, the suspect, identified by tions of alleged collusion
U.S. presidential election to vice, or FSB, announced it would have been the Russian media as 18-year between Trump and Russia.
help Trump. Friday that seven suspect- first major attack on a Rus- old Yevgeny Yefimov, said The allegations were “in-
While Russian officials have ed followers of the Islamic sian Orthodox Church by in the footage released by vented” by Trump’s foes to
said the two countries were State group had been ar- Islamic terrorists, who have the FSB. undermine his legitimacy,
continuing to exchange a rested for allegedly plan- blown up apartment build- Several other suspects Putin said.q