Blasts called bid to kill Karimov

Blasts called bid to kill Karimov

TASHKENT (Reuters): Explosions which rocked the center of the Uzbek capital Tashkent on Tuesday were an assassination attempt against President Islam Karimov, state television reported.

It said Karimov was not harmed in the blasts, which knocked out windows for several blocks around the central Independence Square.

Residents said Karimov was in an emergency session with his government. Officials have described the blasts as a "terrorist act".

A local woman said troops armed with automatic rifles had sealed off the city center. She said by telephone the first blast was so powerful the tremors from it knocked her out of her chair in a six-story building about 500 meters away.