According to the RT news report dated March 29th, 2010, Russia will continue fighting against terrorism “unhesitatingly and till the end,” President Dmitry Medvedev said at an extraordinary meeting in the Kremlin.

Russian President also demanded tightened security across the country after the early Monday morning blasts in the Moscow subway and pledged government assistance to the families of those who died or were injured in the explosions.

"Prevention of such terrorist acts is a complicated thing, just like maintaining security on public transport. That's what the latest experience teaches us. We need to considerably step up all the measures and to reconsider this problem on the scale of the state - not for a particular type of public transport of for a particular town but for the whole country. Obviously, measures that have been practiced up to now have proven to be insufficient.

Now back to the matter. Of course the first thing to do is to help people and provide support to the families of victims, those who died and, naturally, those who are injured and receiving treatment now - we need to provide all the required assistance both on the regional and governmental level.

Today, the government is going to hold a meeting upon my order to discuss this problem in detail. I have issued an order for the government to do this.

Now on the general situation. We need to be on the guard. It is obvious that such acts, regretfully, are always well planned and aim to cause massive casualties and to unsettle the stability in the country and society. Therefore the police and security forces need to run relevant consultations and informative sessions, and to keep the situation under strict control - while certainly observing the citizen's rights and freedoms - to keep the situation under strict control and, in case of need, to intervene and make on-site decisions to ensure the efficiency of control.

This is a well-known practice both in our country and in the world. Sadly, it's far from the first time such a thing happens to us. Therefore there should be a very precise and detailed approach to dealing with such situations.

The Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee should continue gathering evidence and carry out thorough investigation, naturally, without disrupting traffic in the metro. Traffic should resume as soon as the investigative procedures are over so that the city is not affected.

Proposed versions should be given most careful consideration. Evidently, this is the continuation of terrorist activities, and I believe this will be the key version of the investigation. I would like you to keep track of it and report to me.

And the last thing I'd like to say: the policy against terror in our country will continue. We will continue operations against terrorists till the end, with no hesitation. I would like all heads of special services and law enforcement agencies present here to follow the same principle - till the end and with no hesitation.

In a while, we will hold a meeting on specific consequences, but now I suggest going to our workplaces and getting down to our everyday work."

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U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned the rush hour bombings in the Moscow metro, offering his condolences to the Russian people. In a statement issued by the White House, the president said the American people stand united with the people of Russia in opposition to violent extremism and heinous terrorist attacks. "My thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost loved ones, and I wish all who sustained injuries a successful recovery", the President said. Security was beefed up and police presence was increased on the New York City subway system.

There are many other leaders who are sending condolences:

Azerbaijan The President sent a telegram voicing his condolences. Belarus The President sent a telegram voicing his condolences. Bulgaria Georgy Pyrvanov said they could not be justified for any reasons. Czech Republic Czech government expressed itself opposed to any violence and terror. Estonia The President sent a telegram voicing his condolences. France French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned the blasts, calling them dishonorable and recreant. Georgia – Georgian Foreign Minister, Girgol Vashadze, condemned terrorism and expressed his condolences. At a joint news conference with his Lithuanian counterpart he said: "Georgia and Lithuania have always been against terrorism ... We express our condolences to the families of victims and hope that culprits of this terrible crime will be arrested and punished." Georgian Foreign Ministry is hopeful that the criminals will be found and severely punished. Germany "We deplore these cowardly attacks in the most resolute manner," a statement by the German Foreign Ministry said. "Nothing can justify these vicious acts." India – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote to the Russian president saying: "It is with great anguish that I have learnt of the bomb blasts in Moscow, which have led to the loss of so many innocent lives. This is most tragic and horrific act of violence. At this difficult hour, our thoughts are with you, the people of Russia and the families and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy. On behalf of the government and people of India, I convey our deepest condolences. I wish to assure you that India stands united with Russia in combating the forces of violence and terrorism." Latvia The President sent a telegram voicing his condolences.  Lithuania – "I am deeply shocked by the bloody terrorist act against peaceful people," a message from Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said. Poland Polish President Lech Kaczynski offered his condolences. Serbia Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovi? sent a telegram of condolences on Monday to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin: "Please accept our deepest condolences for the tragic loss of lives of Moscow's citizens. The government and the people of Serbia feel deeply with the families of those killed or injured and with the Russian people" Tajikistan The President sent a telegram voicing his condolences. Ukraine – "People in our country share the pain of the heavy and unrecoverable loss," Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said in his message to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev. Other entities sending the cololances including the NATO, Secretary General of the Council of Europ, Thorbjorn Jagland, European Union, Amnesty Inrternational for this terrible incident.

The media report shows that Year 2010 only for the terrorist attack around the world counts more than 120 incidents as of March 29th, 2010. On the 29th March 2010 a bomb was reported to have gone off at the Lubyanka station on the Sokolnicheskaya Line during the local rush hour.

Early reports suggest 37 people have been killed, 14 of whom were in the second train carraige where the explosion is believed to have taken place. A second explosion has been reported at the Park Kultury station on the Koltsevaya Line. Twelve people are reported dead in this explosion. The second explosion happened forty five minutes after the first. The first explosion happened at 7:56 and the second at 8:38. Thirty-Seven dead have been reported, and several more wounded.

Two women are believed to have caused the explosion in two consecutive suicide attacks. Russia's FSB secutiry service alleged these Chechen "black widows" of various ages whose bodies were recovered could be wives of deceased rebel husbands from North Caucasus.

Their faces were not harmed in the blast, the first attack was made with a force of up to 4 kg of TNT while the second attack was carried out by a dark-haired woman with a equivalent of 2 kg of TNT strapped to her waist. Both bombs were packed with metal nuts and bolts to increase the destructive nature of the blast.

Female suiciders known as "black widows" have blown themselves up on numerous occasions, including bombings of two passenger planes that took off from Moscow airport, previous Moscow metro bombings and during the Beslan school hostage crisis.

Some of them say, the blasts may be a payback after a series of attacks by the FSB, which have killed a number of terrorist leaders.

“The North Caucasus underground” may have decided to indicate their existence again, Viktor Chernous, director of the Center of System Regional Studies in Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia, told Rosbalt news agency.

Russian Audit Chamber Chairman Sergey Stepashin has also linked the latest terrorist acts in Moscow to the North Caucasian situation. "Obviously, today's acts of terror are related to the people we are fighting in the North Caucasus," he told Interfax. It is necessary to enhance transport security, to interact with informers and to step up preventive measures, he said. "We are capable of doing that," he added. The Audit Chamber will think about additional assistance to law enforcement agencies, so that they can prevent terrorist acts. "First of all, we must think about technical control means. I also think that the transport police department must be increased instead of being reduced," Stepashin said.

Later report shows that the death toll from the bomb attacks on two Moscow underground stations has reached 38 people. More than 60 others were injured in the explosions during the crowded morning rush hour. Beside these numbers, many of those wounded remain in a critical condition. Tuesday, 30th March, has been declared a day of mourning in the Russian capital.

The Moscow Metro which spans almost the entire Russian capital, is the world's second most heavily used metro system after the Tokyo's twin subway. Opened in 1935, it is well known for the ornate design of many of its stations, which contain numerous examples of socialist realist art.

Sources:

Yourtube

RT

Yahoo

CNN

Wikipedia

catch4all.com, Sandra Englund, March 29th, 2010