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Medvedev urges more law enforcement action

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev takes pictures as he visits the site, where Jesus Christ is believed to have been baptized, near the Jordan River in Jordan on January 19, 2011. UPI
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev takes pictures as he visits the site, where Jesus Christ is believed to have been baptized, near the Jordan River in Jordan on January 19, 2011. UPI | License Photo

MOSCOW, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Russia's president says terrorism, extremism, organized crime and corruption will be priority targets for the country's law enforcement agencies.

Dmitry Medvedev told a meeting of Interior Ministry officials Monday he had signed into law a police reform bill.

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"The new law widens significantly the powers of police structures in ensuring security in public places," Medvedev said. "I hope police bodies will use these powers with the maximum efficiency."

Medvedev has strongly criticized both the Interior Ministry and airport security staff after a recent suicide attack at Moscow's Domodedovo airport that killed 36 and wounded dozens, RIA Novosti reported.

Security matters were being handled "unprofessionally" and "unacceptably," he said.

"We should not give extremists any chance to destabilize the situation in the country," Medvedev said.

He urged the Interior Ministry to "improve significantly" the effectiveness of its campaign against organized crime and called on law enforcement agencies to step up efforts to tackle corruption within their departments.

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