Police and other security forces have prevented...

Speaking at a session of the National Antiterrorism Committee, FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov said 42 antiterrorist operations and a series of reconnaissance and search operations had been carried out in the region so far in 2009.

"As a result, 81 terrorist crimes were prevented, 782 members of illegal armed groups were detained, more than 1,600 small arms, 490 self-made bombs and over 5.5 tons of explosives were discovered and confiscated," Bortnikov said.

Russia"s mainly Muslim and ethnically diverse North Caucasus republics have been swept by an upsurge of violence recently.

Moscow announced an end to its decade-long antiterrorism campaign against separatists in Chechnya in April, but has since had to step up the fight against militants as skirmishes and attacks on police and other officials have continued.

Violence has also swept neighboring regions, where hundreds of people have been killed in militant attacks and skirmishes between security forces

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