Kazakhstan experienced its first suicide attack in modern history May 17 when a Kazakh man identified as Rakhimzhan Makhatov, age 25, entered the Kazakhstan National Security Committee (KNB) building in the northwestern city of Aktobe, the administrative capital of the region of Aktyubinsk, and detonated himself. The attacker was killed in the blast, and a security guard and a KNB officer were injured. That the attack occurred at the KNB is very symbolic; the organization is responsible for Kazakhstan's internal security and is both respected and feared. The attack also shows that Kazakhstan, which previously avoided the Islamist militancy its neighbors have experienced, is not immune to suicide attacks. (click here to enlarge image) Conflicting reports emerged about the motivation for the May 17 bombing. Kazakh Prosecutor General Office spokesman Zhandos Umiraliyev said Makhatov belonged to a criminal organization and detonated himself to avoid prosecution for alleged crimes.