Medvedev vows tough action Putin: ‘Retribution inevitable' MOSCOW: The Moscow airport blast that killed 35 people Monday may have involved a female suicide bomber from Russia's predominantly Muslim North Caucasus, RIA Novosti quoted a security source as saying Tuesday. “The explosion occurred the moment the presumed female suicide bomber opened her bag,” the state-run news agency quoted the unnamed security official as saying. “The terrorist was accompanied by a man. He was standing beside her and (the blast) tore off his head.” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin vowed retribution for the bombing attack, while President Dmitry Medvedev ordered investigators to root out the culprits and threatened sackings over security lapses he said had aided the attack. Putin, who is knwon for making harsh statements, said “retribution is inevitable” for the attack. A tough-talking Medvedev told Federal Security Service chiefs that “everything must be done to find, expose and bring the bandits who committed this crime to court – and the nests of these bandits, however deep they have dug in, must be liquidated.” “We must not stand on ceremony with those who resist ... they must be destroyed on the spot,” he said. Medvedev lashed out at law enforcement and airport authorities over the attack at Domodedovo, an international hub and major gateway to Russia, “It is clear that there is a systemic failure to provide security for people” at Domodedovo, said Medvedev. He ordered the Interior Ministry to recommend transport security officials for dismissal and said authorities found culpable would be held responsible, suggesting they could face prosecution. He urged officials to develop a system that would provide for “total checks” on people and bags at airports.
