Separately, five militant suspects and two police officers were killed in a shootout Friday in the Dagestan Republic, said a police spokesman, Magomed Tagirov.

The men are suspected of belonging to a group led by the warlord Magomedali Vagabov, who was behind the Moscow subway bombings in April that killed 40 people and left scores wounded, the statement said. Mr. Vagabov, whose wife carried out one of the suicide attacks, was killed last week in a shootout with security forces in Dagestan, the authorities said.

Security forces were searching the mountains outside the village of Gubden for the group’s remaining members on Saturday, said Dagestan’s police spokesman, Vyacheslav Gasanov.

Russia has been fighting an insurgency by militants who say they seek an Islamic emirate across the North Caucasus in southern Russia

Bortnikov, reviewing the results of special operations and rapid-combat activities against bandits acting on the territory of the North Caucasus with President Dmitry Medvedev announced that in August more than 30 bandits and leaders were 'destroyed', and a huge quantity of firearms and explosives were seized. "In addition, we were able to prevent several terrorist attacks that were planned by bandits".

"If we talk specifically about the results of our work, together with all the security forces who are actively involved in the process, on August 21 based on intelligence material, which had been received by us, managed to neutralize the leader of the Dagestani bandits Vagabova who was behind the bombing in the Moscow metro and in Kizlyar using suicide bombers. The operation destroyed four bandits who were with him, another of them was arrested and handed over to the investigating authorities.

"Based on intelligence material Dagestani OMON conducted successful military operations against another group of Vagabova - and destroyed five bandits.

"And on August 23 combat operations captured the leader of the Ingush bandits, one Gardanova also called Magas. With him were four leading groups operating in the territory of Ingushetia. As a result of resistance, they were also destroyed.

"Dmitry, currently we are implementing an operation in relation to so-called ease-Aul bandit group operating in the Kabardia. In the city of Nalchik, in one of the addresses occupied by this group, as a result of combat activities, they were all destroyed. This bandit group is related to the explosion, which was carried out by them on May 1 at the racetrack in Nalchik, and a number of other terrorist acts in the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria.

We removed sufficient materials and archives of the bandits which show their contacts with international terrorists.

To date, We are analysing these materials,for the preparation and conduct of our future work, and some have already been introduced in the criminal process. The work continues.

The President praised Bortnikov for "good results", saying the bandits "caused quite a sensitive damage".

"Naturally, the work in this direction should be continued," the President said.

"With regard to individual bandits destroyed recently during raids", he said, "it is a natural outcome of criminal activity. That is why, when there was a terrorist attack on the subway , I said that they should all be found and all must be destroyed. The only way to deal with them, nothing to stand on ceremony."

And as for those who participated in the conduct of these operations, both from the FSB, and through the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other structures, it is natural that all our comrades be commended and should be receive state awards."

Russian interior Ministry officers inspect body of suspected terrorist /AFP