Russia police storm protest leaders houses

The coordinated security sweep in the early hours of a public holiday targeted the homes of a new brand of young Russian politicians who analysts believe represent the biggest threat to ex-KGB spy Putins 12-year rule.Officers beat down the doors of the increasingly popular anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny as well as media celebrity and more recent Putin critic Ksenya Sobchak.Others on the list included Sergei Udaltsov -- an outspoken ultra-leftist who stages periodic hunger strikes to protest his repeated arrests -- and the far more moderate democracy campaigner Ilya Yashin.They are taking all the electronic devices, Navalny tweeted during the raid. Even disks with photos of the children.Russias powerful Investigative Committee said 10 raids were conducted in all as part of a probe over a previous demonstration that ended in mass disturbances.A so-called March of Millions that drew 20,000 people in Moscow on May 6 ended in the arrest of hundreds after bloody clashes broke out between protesters and police on the eve of Putins inauguration to a third term.Navalny and the nine others face up to 10 years in prison if they are charged and convicted of organising mass disturbances.The May 6 unrest sparked a stiff response from the Kremlin that saw Putin on Friday sign into law legislation dramatically raising fines for those who break the already restrictive laws on organising and holding rallies.The highest penalty for individuals has been raised to 300,000 rubles ($9,000) -- more than for any other administrative offence and about equivalent to Russians average annual salary.Rights activists said the security agencies were trying to intimidate the nascent movement and prevent mass attendance in order to avoid embarrassing Putin just a month into his historic third term.City authorities have authorised up to 50,000 people to take part in a rally on Tuesday at the site of a December protest against that months fraud-tainted parliamentary polls.But the Investigative Committee ordered all 10 to appear for questioning only hours before Tuesdays rally was was due to start.They are trying to disrupt the March of Millions and make sure fewer people come, human rights campaigner Lev Ponomaryov told Interfax.Former finance chief Alexei Kudrin -- a personal friend of Putin who quit last year after protesting his planned job swap with current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev -- said the raids showed radicals gaining strength in the Kremlin.He also argued that the raids and stiff new penalties would only energise the protest movement and give it the momentum it appeared to be losing after Putins dominant win in March 4 presidential elections.The protest leaders representatives said the searches were unexpected and similar to those conducted in far more serious cases involving grave crimes.