A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the North Caucasian Federal District Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee sufficient to convict 57 members of a gang, who on 13 October 2005, committed an armed attack in the town of Nalchik. They were found guilty of crimes under part 2 of article 210, part 2 of article 209, article 279, part 3 of article 205, article 317, paragraphs “a”, “f”, “g” and “h” of part 2 of article 105, part 3 of article 30, paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 4 of article 226, part 4 of article 166, part 3 of article 222 of the RF Penal Code (membership in a stable armed group (gang), armed mutiny, terrorism, attempt on the life of a law enforcement official (military servant), aggravated murder, attempted stealing of firearms and stealing of firearms) and other crimes.
The court and investigators have found that in the period between 1999 and February 2005 Aslan Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev, Ilyax Gorchkhanov, Anzor Astemirov and foreign citizens Khattab, Abu Al-Valid, Abu-Dzeit and others set up and headed a numerous organized criminal community with stable armed groups and other illegal communities in its structure. They planned to create in the Caucasus of Russia a kind of their own Islamic state. The militants decided to attain this by means of armed mutinies and terrorist attacks. To manage the ramified network of bandits they needed not only strictest discipline but a spiritual leader. Investigators have revealed that this role was played by Astemirov, who had not only religious education he received in Saudi Arabia, but occupied one of the top positions in Kabardino-Balkaria Islamic Research Institute. It was his skill of persuasion and a long theologian practice in the area of radical Islam that allowed him to manipulate people and recruit new members of the gang from believers.
The gangsters were well armed and geared. This way, they had camouflage devices and special gears – military and sports clothes, bullet-proof vests, masks to hide their faces, tents to live in field conditions, other gears, as well as firearms and ammunition of different kinds and modifications and explosives, including improvised explosive devices.
The investigators have found out that on 13 October 2005, in the town of Nalchik the gangsters committed a massive attack on the buildings of the Kabardino-Balkaria Ministry of Interior and inferior bodies and agencies, Khasanya Road Patrol Service, T Center of the Southern Federal District main Office of the Ministry of Interior, Kabardino-Balkaria Office of the Federal Security Service, Office of the Federal Drug Control Service and Nalchik border team No 43 of the Federal Security Service, arm selling shops Arsenal and Okhotnik Plus, they seized the bridge over the Shalushka river on the 449th km of the Caucasus motorway, attacked other facilities and attempted on lives of law enforcement officials and military servants, killed civilians. As a result 35 law enforcement officials and military servants and 15 civilians were killed. 131 law enforcement officials and military servants and 92 civilians were wounded and suffered moral damage, property belonging to 19 legal persons and 153 physical persons was damaged or destroyed causing the owners loss of over 54 million rubles in total. The activity of state authorities was paralyzed in Nalchik, organizations and industrial enterprises, schools, preschool facilities, shops were not working, traffic was closed, water supply and telephone communication were disrupted.
During the attack the perpetrators used at least 35 grenade launchers, 10 Kalashnikov machine guns, 135 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 25 items of long-barrel non-automatic guns of different kinds and modifications, 20 Kedr submachine guns, Igla shoulder-fired missiles, at least 5 flame-throwers RPO-A Shmel. In addition they had at least 45 thousand cartridges of different calibers, 106 antitank grenades, 500 hand grenades, 500 detonating fuses of different modifications, mines and other explosive devices.
During the probe the investigators in cooperation with operative units of law enforcement bodies have carried out considerable careful work to identify the members of the criminal community, including those directly involved in the attack on 13 October 2005. As a result 73 members of gangs that were included in this community were identified and detained.
13 defendants were convicted earlier. A criminal case against another defendant was separated from the others and was later finished due to his death. In addition, 14 more persons were identified who were members of the criminal community and warrants against whom were issued. A court ruled in absentia to remand them in custody pending trial and they are internationally wanted. Since 13 October 2005, during counter-terrorist operations law enforcement officials have killed 95 members of the criminal community directly involved in the attack and whose involvement was confirmed by the evidence gathered during the probe – examinations of the crime scene, objects and documents, conclusions of forensic medical, chemical, ballistics and pyrotechnical inquiries, testimonies of witnesses and victims. Along with rank-and-file members of the gangs, Shamil Basayev, Ilyas Gorchkhanov and Anzor Astemirov, who organized the attack, were also killed.
The investigation involved a great number of investigating operations – 126 examinations of crime scene in 26 areas of clashes, investigators found 70 caches where the gangs stored their armament, carried out 192 searches, questioned 437 people as victims and representative of the affected legal persons, interrogated almost 2,500 witnesses, carried out 96 photo identifications 67 on-site verifications of testimonies in the presence of witnesses and victims, carried out 437 questionings of suspects and accused, carried out 95 on-site verifications of testimonies and ran 1,668 different forensic inquiries. The criminal case is 1,896-volume thick.
I would also like to note that instead of an Islamic state the militants wanted to build in the Russian Caucasus, a separate building of court was built for them in Nalchik where their crimes were properly assessed.
The court has sentenced 57 defendants to prison terms between 4 and 23 years and 5 of them got life sentence.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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