News

The Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has finished investigating a criminal case against Akhmed Israpilov, Magomed Gadzhiyev, Shikhmirza Labazanov and Magomedali Amirkhanov. Depending on the role of each one, they are charged with crimes under paragraph “b” of part 3 of article 205 of the RF Penal Code (terrorist attack), part 2 of article 209 (banditry), paragraph “a” of part 3 of article 126 (abduction), paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 3 of article 163 (extortion), paragraph “a” of part 4 of article 162 (robbery), part 3 of article 222 (illegal circulation of firearms and explosive devices).

According to investigators, Magomed Suleymanov set up a stable armed group (gang) in Dagestan involving local residents following radical Islam he was promoting. The main objective of the gang was actions capable of destabilizing social and political situations in the region and to force authorities of the Russian Federation to permit sovereignty to Dagestan. As a method of battle Suleymanov went for armed attacks on citizens, organizations, military servants, law enforcement officers, representatives of state authorities and government, public and religious figures by terrorist attacks, subversive acts, taking hostages and committing other crimes.

This way, on 22 July 2010, in the village of Shamilkala, Untsukul District, Dagestan Labazanov, Israpilov and other gang members abducted chief engineer of OAO Sulak Hydropower Cascade to extort money from his relatives. In August 2010, the victim was released. In addition, on 27 January 2012, Shamil Sidikbekov, his brother Makhulav Sidikbekov, Labazanov and other gang members attacked a local businessman and his wife near the village of Nikolo-Khovanskoye, Lenino District in the Moscow Region. They abducted the man and took him away to the town of Podolsk and held hostage in a household there. The gangsters extorted from the victim’s wife 500 million rubles threatening otherwise to kill the kidnapped. On 25 April 2012, the man took advantage of the situation when his guards were less vigilant, got out of the house he was kept in and went away.

In 2012, Labazanov, Gadzhiyev, Amirkhanov, Aminat Saprykina (Kurbanova) and other gang members acting on Suleymanov’s order, committed a terrorist attack in a place for mass cult gatherings. The object of their attack was the house of famous religious scholar sheikh Said Afandy Chirkeysky, the pilgrimage place. On 28 August 2012, Saprykina disguised as a pilgrim came into the said house in the village of Chirkey, Buynaksk district and set off a hand-made explosive device. According to investigators, Gadzhiyev, Labazanov and Amirkhanov had provided the bomb, secretive residence of Saprykina before the crime and controlled her on her way to the place of the attack. The explosion killed 7 people, including sheikh Said-Afandy.

The investigators have gathered enough evidence, therefore the criminal case with the approved indictment has been sent into court to be tried on the merits.

Before that, a court sentenced S. Sidikbekov to 16 years in prison and M. Sidikbekov to 13 years. Suleymanov and other gang members are federally wanted. The criminal investigation against them is ongoing.