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Two more participants involved into the attack on the Botlikh raion of the Republic of Dagestan in 1999 are detained

The Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the North Caucasian Federal Okrug, within the criminal investigation, obtained evidence of the involvement of Mr. Temirali Zarakayev and Mr. Eduard Taushev, residents of the Neftekumsky Raion of Stavropol Krai, in the commission of crimes on a case that was launched in 1999 on the fact of the invasion of illegal armed groups under the general leadership of Mr. Shamil Basayev and Mr. Emir Khattab into the territory of the Botlikh Raion of the Republic of Dagestan, and also the evidence was obtained that attacks on Law Enforcement Officers and military personnel of the Russian Federation were committed during it.

It was established that between June and July 1999 the mentioned above persons voluntarily joined the gang under the general leadership of Mr. Shamil Basayev and Mr. Emir Khattab and took an active part in the commission of grave and especially grave crimes. Thus, between 7 and 24 August 1999, acting as part of a stable armed group of Mr. Basayev and Mr. Khattab, militants armed with automatic weapons, grenades and explosive devices, totaling at least 1,000 people, took an active part in the armed rebellion in order to overthrow the constitutional order and violate the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and they committed an infringement on lives of servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, who were responsible for ensuring public security and restoring constitutional order in the territory of Botlikh Raion of the Republic of Dagestan. As a result of a massive targeted shelling carried out by the gang members, 33 people were killed and 34 citizens were injured of varying severity.

Mr. Zarakaev and Mr. Taushev were detained with the assistance of Officers of the Russian FSB and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The investigation petitions the court to impose a restraint as custody on them.

Currently, urgent investigative and other procedural actions are being carried out with the participation of the Detainees; the actions are aimed at establishing their role and actions performed within a stable armed group.

Realizing the principle of the inevitability of punishment, the investigators continue to identify the participants in the attack, who are hiding from Law Enforcement Agencies. The work is carried out with the operational support of the FSB of Russia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.