Russian Neo-Fascist Arrested By Agents

Security agents on Tuesday arrested a prominent Russian neofascist who had threatened to shoot liberal lawmakers.

Alexander Vedenkin, a leader of the extremist Russian National Unity movement, was seized by agents of the Federal Counterintelligence Service, a spokesman for the service said.

In a nationally televised interview last week, Vedenkin spoke of mass repressions once his party comes to power. He said he would be ready to personally execute Russia’s human rights commissioner, Sergei Kovalyov, and another legislator, Sergei Yushenkov - both outspoken opponents of the war in Chechnya.

The Russian prosecutor-general’s office, which approved Vedenkin’s arrest, told the Interfax news agency that he was suspected of inciting ethnic hatred, threatening murder, stealing documents and disclosing state secrets.

Russia’s extremist groups have openly sent volunteers to fight in the former Yugoslavia and organized summer camps for young followers.