At Nalchik attack trial, district militiaman speaks positively about defendants

Today, at the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria, at the session on the criminal case on events on October 13, 2005, Ahmat Ulbashev, district militiaman of Khasanya village, has presented his evidence and spoke positively about the defendants whom he personally knows.

Right at the beginning of interrogating the witness, the presiding lady-judge asked the question to all the witnesseswhether he knew anyone of the defendants. The witness said that he knew Rasul Nogerov and Rasul Kudaev.

The defence asked when he had first got acquainted with them and how he could characterize them. Mr Ulbashev said that Rasul Nogerov had worked earlier in the administration of Khasanya village, and he had contacted him on service matters. He characterized the defendant positively.

Rasul Kudaev, according to the witness' story, was enlisted among adherents of radical Islam. This defendant was also characterized positively.

Advocates asked the witness to characterize other defendants - residents of Khasanya: Rasul Khulamkhanov, Zubeir Sozaev and Arthur Kuchmenov. According to the militiaman who referred to the opinion of their neighbours, all of them were characterized positively.

The defence and defendants asked about details of the lists of extremists mentioned by the witness: who had compiled them, by what attributes people were put there and whether such lists exist now.

The witness answered evasively: the lists existed before he came to work as a district militiaman, and he did not know who had compiled them. "They were given to us by our bosses," said Mr Ulbashev. According to his story, the lists were intended for prophylaxis. When asked about this prophylaxis, he said that it meant talks; besides, when attacks on militiamen took place, his task was to clear out where the enlisted persons had been at the moment and who could confirm his alibi. He should also know what they were doing and whether they had any job or not.

Rasul Kudaev asked whether the witness found any "extremist features" in him. "No, I didn't," said the militiaman.

: "Trial of attack on Nalchik postponed till June 16," "Advocates in Nalchik attack case challenge the court but fail," "Defendants in Nalchik attack case cancel their announced hunger strike."