Armenian authorities arrest 2 suspects in killing of top tax official

Shagen Ovasepian, head of the operations department of the State Tax Service, was killed by a bomb that exploded as he was getting into his car in the Armenian capital on Sept. 6.

Prosecutor General's office spokeswoman Sona Truzian said Thursday that the two suspects were detained late Wednesday. She said they were Armenian citizens, but refused to name them while the probe was ongoing.

Erkir-media television said citing sources in the prosecutor's office that both suspects were officials of the State Tax Service.

Organized crime is widespread in this poor, former Soviet republic, and gang-related killings are common.

Armenian politics are also tense and occasionally violent. In 1999, gunmen burst into parliament and killed the prime minister, parliament speaker and six other officials and lawmakers. AP

/International Herald Tribune/