Moscow: Describing the hostage crisis in a Moscow theatre as a "major" terrorist act in the world, Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 24 blamed international terrorist centres for the episode and cancelled foreign trips to take charge of the situation.

"The initial information released by representatives of terrorists after taking hostages in Moscow came from abroad. This once again confirms that this terrorist act was planned in one of the foreign terrorist centres," Putin was quoted as saying by the state TV at his meeting with FSB security chief Nikolai Patrushev and Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov on October 24.

Putin, who October 23 night in his Kremlin office, told Patrushev and Gryzlov to take utmost precautions to ensure the safety of hostages while seeking their release.

The President also cancelled his Germany and Portugal visits scheduled for October 24 while the fate of his visit to Mexico for APEC Summit and informal talks with US President George W Bush over the weekend seemed uncertain of the crisis was not resolved by October 24 night.

PTI