Russia faces 'systemic threat' from extremism: Medvedev

Russia faces a "systemic threat" from extremism, President Dmitry Medvedev warned security officials on Friday, against a background of continued attacks in the North Caucasus, news agencies reported.

"The phenomenon of extremism is a cause for great alarm. Against the background of a general reduction in crime the level in this type of activity has risen by nearly a third.

"This type of legal violation inflicts colossal damage and is a systemic threat to national security," Medvedev told interior ministry officials, quoted by ITAR-TASS.