Father of assassinated oppositionist Aushev says he knows killers' names

Magomed-Hadji Aushev, 80, father of Maksharip Aushev, an Ingush oppositionist and human rights activist, who was killed in autumn of 2009, asserts that he knows the assassins. The father is himself engaged in active public work in Ingushetia and does not exclude that he can become the next victim of gunmen.

"I know what division of which power agency had organized Maksharip's murder. Now, this division, which was deployed in Nalchik, is disbanded. Under our data, the team of killers was under command of its agent, a Nogai by nationality. Apart from him, Ingushes, Chechens, Dagestanians and Russian had to do with my son's murder. We had been running our independent investigation for a long time. We have information that Edelev (Arkadi Edelev was Russia's Deputy Interior Minister, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot") personally ordered to liquidate Maksharip," Magomed-Hadji Aushev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The father has emphasizes that appointment of Edelev as deputy of Alexander Khloponin, Plenipotentiary of Russian President in the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD), "has essentially damaged President Medvedev's reputation among Ingushes."

He believes that Ella Pamfilova "was also punished for starting raising in Moscow, after her visit to Ingushetia, acute issues of the situation in the republic" (he means Pamfilova's resignation from the position of the chair of the human rights board under Russian President, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot"). "It all indicates that we should not hope for any fair investigation of murders and kidnappings in Ingushetia by the federal centre," Mr Aushev-elder has noted.

His words coincide with what Maksharip Aushev said himself in September 2009, forty days before his death, after the attempt of his kidnapping in the highway near Magas. Then, in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, Maksharip had asserted that "Edelev's people" tried to detain him on the road.

So far, Arkadi Edelev himself has made no comments on accusations put forward by Maksharip Aushev's father.

Inspectors in charge of investigating the oppositionist's murder also give no comments. The attempts of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent to receive any comments on this case at the ICPO (Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian federation) found no understanding with the officials. People from law enforcement bodies answered that they know nothing and offered "to call to Moscow" or "to write to the State Office of Public Prosecutor."

Let us note here with reference to Maksharip's relatives that the investigation of his murder is conducted by inspector Victor Melnik, head of the 4th division of the Chief Investigatory department of the ICPO for the NCFD and SFD; and that this very Melnik had tried to bring Aushev not long before his murder to criminal liability for organizing rallies against Zyazikov, the then President.

"Maksharip, while being engaged in human rights activities, knew that he would be killed. I also knew it. My son was the fearless person and never used securities. It was the case on the day of his murder. Today I know the names of all who did it. I already spoke personally to some of them to make sure that the information we have is true. I do not exclude that I may become the next target of the gunmen," said Magomed-Hadji Aushev.