Economic interests blamed for RIMI store bombing

  • 2000-09-28
RIGA (BNS) - The main theory in the investigation of last month's blasts in the Centrs shopping complex is related to economic interests, Criminal Police Chief Valdis Pumpurs said Sept. 21.

He declined to specify, though, if the hypothesis is related to the fight between competitors or relations between partners or others.

Security Police Chief Janis Reiniks did not rule out that the organizers of the blast could be either the possible competitors or companies with which supply contracts have been terminated. He said that police were checking on reports "about business of separate persons related to RIMI," but would not specify whether those were Latvian or foreign businessmen. Reiniks pointed out that it was vital to find out why Centrs was selected as the target for the blast, "Although everybody questioned claims they did not have any conflicts and their business affairs were OK."

After the blast four investigation theories were presented. From them, business discords and terrorism initially were admitted as the most credible. But police officials said none of them have been dropped.

The two blasts in Centrs, operated by Norwegian Linstow Warner company, took place Aug. 17, injuring 35 people and killing one.