Witness in the case of Nalchik attack refused from her evidences given three years ago

Today, the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria, which considers the case about attack on Nalchik on October 13, 2005, listened to two anonymous witnesses and Albina Karmova, a resident of Svetlovodskoe village, Zolskiy District.

It became clear from Ms Karmova's answers that at the moment of the attack on Nalchik she worked in the administration of Svetlovodskoe, and among her duties issuance of certificates to the population. As to defendants Zaur Tokhov and Anzor Sasikov, she issued certificates on composition of their families and their social characteristics. As it became clear during the interrogation, the characteristics were negative.

According to Karmova, the characteristics were written by the head of the village administration, and she only typed and signed them, as at that moment she replaced the head of administration, who was on vacations. As to the persons of the defendants, the witness said that "no complaints against them" arrived from the villagers, and they were "loyal citizens" who "just prayed." She also said that Tokhov has three minor children. When asked by the prosecution about the mosque that the defendants had visited, the witness said that there was no mosque in the village; some construction was used instead, which was later closed.

The prosecution asked to announce her previous evidences, given at the stage of preliminary investigation, since they essentially differed from what she said today. From the announced evidences, it followed that defendants Tokhov and Sasikov were "adherents of the Wahhabite movement" and they "involved youth in this movement."

The witness said that she could not remind giving such evidences, although the signature under the evidences belongs to her.

"Do you know that Zaur Tokhov addressed the court asking to bring the village administration to responsibility for the issued characteristic?" asked advocate Elena Bairamkulova. The witness answered that she had heard about it.

Albina Karmova was offered to characterize defendant Sasikov; however, she said she could not do it. Also she answered in the negative to the question whether she knew what "Wahhabism" was. According to her story, she read about Wahhabism in the media.

Today also two anonymous witnesses were interrogated, who performed under pseudonyms of Schetinkov and Karmov, working OMSN (special-purpose militia) fighters. They were interrogated without visual contact - the witnesses were in the next room, and the audience heard their voices only.

Defendant Sokmyshev said that "the changed voice was not clear to him by 50 percent." Defendant Mashukov said that the witnesses were hiding because they "had committed crimes on behalf of the authority."