CA-NEWS (TJ) - The Tajik authorities suspect the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is behind the terrorist act, which has happened this morning near the regional bureau of the police unit on fight against organized crime in Khujand.

"According to preliminary information, this act was committed by associates of detained suspects of Isfara market chief Khomijon Karimov's murder. The individuals behind the explosion may be members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan," the Interior Ministry said in media advisory.

The Interior Ministry believes this way the destructive forces attempted to impede to investigation and to organize escape of 5 people detained under that case.

At 8.00 am Dushanbe local time, in the moment when two service cars were driving into the territory of the regional bureau of the police unit on fight with organized crime, a car suddenly drove into the yard of the regional bureau to and then exploded, the Interior Ministry said.

25 police officers received injuries of varying degree of severity in the result of the powerful blast. Most of them were provided first aid, the rest were taken to the local hospital. The building was damaged significantly. The Interior Ministry did not provide any information on died people.

Unofficial sources say 2 people died. The Tajik Radio Ozodi said 12 bodies of dead people were brought to the local hospital.

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Hizb-ut-Tahrir, both groups are banned in Tajikistan, intensified their activities in Tajikistan lately.

According to the General Prosecutor's Office, criminal cases were launched against 11 suspected members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and 47 suspected members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Besides, the courts convicted 11 people last year, who were charged with affiliation with Al-Qaeda.