The suicide bomber who killed eight police officers in Russia's volatile North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia last month was the son of a former policeman in neighboring Chechnya, investigators said on Monday.

The attacker's father was police chief of the Chechen town of Argun in 2002, a spokesman for the Russian Interior Ministry said. No further details were given.

The explosion took place at the funeral of a fellow police officer on August 19.

At least 15 people were also wounded in the attack that was originally blamed on an Ingush militant.

Attacks by former security personnel are not an uncommon occurence in the Caucasus.

Notorious warlord Ali Taziyev, or Magas, who was captured by Russian forces in 2010 after a organizing a string of deadly attacks in the region, is also believed to have been a former police officer.