Chechnya's new president is sworn in

A widely feared former security chief who has been linked to human rights abuses was sworn in as Chechnya's president, vowing to bring prosperity to the region racked by two wars, Islamic extremism and grinding poverty since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ramzan Kadyrov, 30, was inaugurated under high security in front of 2,000 guests and journalists in Gudermes, 25 miles east of the capital, Grozny.

He pledged that Chechnya would remain part of Russia. Analysts say Russian President Vladimir V. Putin has entrusted Kadyrov with power in part because he is seen as the only person who can keep large numbers of former rebels under control.