a suspected killer of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, in Russian republic of Chechnya

Russian law enforcement agencies detained on Tuesday morning Rustam Makhmudov, a suspected killer of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, in Russian republic of Chechnya, based on local media reports.

Politkovskaya, a famous reviewer with Novaya Gazeta newspaper, was shot to death on Oct. 7, 2006. Investigators spotted a criminal group led by a Chechen that "specialized" on contract murders.

Nearby reports said Makhmudov has at present been taken to Moscow. Nevertheless, there has been no comment from Russian authorities but.

Citing a source, Interfax news agency said Makhmudov was detained in the early morning in Chechnya's Achkhoi-Martan district.

"Security agencies have spent some time on eavesdropping the suspect's telephone conversations. Makhmudov was detained when law enforcers had been specific he could possibly be held alive," the source was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Novaya Gazeta newspaper stated it didn't obtain any formal notice about Makhmudov's arrest.

"We have not but received any official notification on this matter, but judging by quite a few facts obtained by our sources, 1 may conclude that it truly happened," Novaya Gazeta editor Sergei Sokolov told Interfax.

Over the past years, numerous Russian reporters have been attacked. In 2004, Forbes Russian editor Paul Klebnikov was assassinated. In October 2006, Politkovskaya was shot dead. In November 2010, political correspondent for influential Russian every day Kommersant Oleg Kashin was beaten into coma near his home.

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