TALLINN, Estonia (AFP)--Estonia has launched an unprecedented two week public amnesty on turning in Soviet-era explosives which people may still be hoarding, an Estonian public security official said Tuesday.
"Anyone who informs us during the two week campaign about having explosives and will hand them over to Rescue Board specialists, will not be punished for a crime, which otherwise might be punished with a fine or even imprisonment.

"We know that many people have explosives (sic) at home which were left in Estonia by the Soviet army, and many people have also collected various explosives (sic) from our oil-shale mines," Porss said.

The explosives amnesty is unprecedented in Estonia.

Soviet-made explosives (sic) left behind in Estonia when the Red Army troops left the country in August 1994 have killed and maimed people handling them.

The amnesty will last until Feb. 17 and has been accompanied by a wide public awareness campaign in newspapers and on television and radio channels.