The probe is part of a broader investigation into suspected money-laundering, smuggling and tax evasion stemming from the Turkmen gas trade. It will further aggravate Kiev’s strained relations with Russia and Gazprom, while highlighting the new Ukrainian government's struggle to overcome corrupt practices.

More than 1000 protesters on Tuesday chanted "Death to America" as they banged on the gates of the main US base in Afghanistan to demand the release of three local villagers detained in a raid.

The three men were arrested on Monday night in a raid on Dheymullah village, about 3km from Bagram base, said local government chief Kaber Ahmad.

"Those three were wanted by the Americans, but no one knows why," he said.

A US military spokeswoman in Kabul said she had no details about the demonstration.

"What's needed [to rid the region of their insurgency] is a cooperative effort by well-armed militaries," he said.

Official announcements have not been made yet, but the Prosecutor General's Office instituted proceedings against several senior state officials. All of them have to do, directly or not, with national economy - Shakhlo Abdullayeva (senior deputy minister of foreign economic contacts), Bakhtijar Khusanbayev (chairman of Uzbekturism), and E. Mirkhodzhayev, former chairman National Bank who resigned of his own volition in early July. There are the rumors that Khusanbayev and Mirkhodzhayev are already on the run.

AMY GOODMAN: Father Jean-Juste, General Colin Powell, the Secretary of State is headed to Haiti now. President Bush praised Haiti in his joint news conference with the Canadian leader yesterday in Ottawa. Do you believe that the United States is behind the coup against Aristide that took place in Haiti on February 29?

REV. GERARD JEAN-JUSTE: Definitely. There were the three administrations involved in the administration of Wilfort Ferdinand, the administration of the Prime Minister Canada, Paul Martin, and the administration of Jacques Chirac of France. They were all behind the coup but mostly French and the U.S., the Bush administration. They kidnapped an elected president and it was something very bad, who asked the Haitian people and still calling for a return to order. To have peace in Haiti now and have an elected government and support the small group to go after the government and bring the government down so they are members of the United Nations, they are conventional people posed to respect and for government in our world to act like cowboys going after elected officials. It is wrong.