State-run Voice of Russia reported on Wednesday that the apparent reason behind the move was to setup centres in North Caucasus for training fundamentalists in terrorist activities and coordinate rebels to carry forward his idea of establishment of a greater Islamic state.

Bin Laden is now looking forward to making forays in other Muslim populated ares of Russia like Tatarstan, Bashkiria, Ingushetia and North Ossetia, the radio said.

He also plans to stoke fundamentalism in Central Asian states of Kyrghizia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and finally include them under his proposed Islamic state.

The radio accused the big oil business of funding bin Laden's activities in Central Asian region.

Voice of Russia also revealed that terrorists from Tajikistan are seeking a foothold in Uzbekistan after having made inroads into Kyrghizia where they abducted ageneral, four Japanese scientists and many others on the eve of visit of Russian President Boris Yeltsin's visit in September to Bishkek to take part in the Shanghai-5 summit.

The hostages are yet to be traced by Kirghuz and Russian troops who are still continuing mopping-up operations in the mountains of Kyrghistan.