Militant killed in police shootout took credit for deadly bus blast

A militant who claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on a bus last month was killed Saturday in a shootout with Russian security forces, officials say. Dmitry Sokolov was among five militants killed near Dagestan's capital of Makhachkala when a gun battle erupted after negotiations for their surrender failed, RIA Novosti reported. During the negotiations, Sokolov said he personally assembled the bomb that killed six people and injured another 50 on a bus in Volgograd Oct. 20, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee said in a statement. Naida Asiyalova, Sokolov's 30-year-old wife who set off the explosives, also died. Officials had been searching for Sokolov since the bus blast. He reportedly admitted to being responsible for other terror attacks, but officials did not say what other attacks he mentioned.