A Step At A Time

Marina Litvinovich, a 31-year-old political activist and public relations specialist, was walking to her car from the office of Kasparov's United Civil Front on Ulitsa Makarenko at around 9:15 p.m. Monday when she was attacked from behind, Kasparov spokesman Denis Bilunov said.

Litvinovich was unconscious for 20 to 25 minutes before she came to and called Kasparov's office, which in turn called an ambulance, Bilunov said. She escaped serious injury, but two of her teeth were knocked out, he said.

Litvinovich was carrying a laptop computer and money, but nothing was stolen, he said.

"It's quite obvious that this was connected with her political activities," Bilunov said.

Bilunov said the attack had been reported to police and that a criminal investigation had been opened. A police source told RIA-Novosti that investigators were looking into the incident.

Litvinovich is also the editor of a web site called Truth of Beslan (www.pravdabeslana.ru), and she said Tuesday that she believed an investigation into terrorism might have been the primary motive behind the attack.

"I think it's very likely that it was connected with my activities in investigating the terrorist acts at 'Nord Ost' and in Beslan," Litvinovich said Tuesday on Ekho Moskvy radio. "Some new and very interesting facts -- sufficiently serious and important -- have emerged. I think this is the most painful thing that someone perhaps wouldn't like."

posted by David McDuff  # 9:17 AM