14:00, 2 April 2011

Residents of Chechnya, detained in Astrakhan as suspected IAF members, sentenced

The Court of the Astrakhan Region has passed a verdict of guilty to residents of Chechnya Aina Sidgalieva and Bekmagomed Saigatov, detained in Astrakhan in November 2009. They were accused of an attempt on MIA employees and sentenced to 12 and 13 years in prison accordingly.

Sidgalieva and Saigatov were detained in the Kirov District of Astrakhan on November 27, 2009, by law enforcers from the Chechen MIA on suspicion of involvement in an illegal armed formation (IAF) in the territory of Grozny.

At detention Sidgalieva triggered a self-made explosive device; while Saigatov threw a similar device in the direction of militiamen, and it detonated from the impact against the ground. The militiamen were not injured, but the detainees received bodily injuries and were taken to hospital.

Sidgalieva will serve her term at a general security colony, while Saigatov - at a high security one, the "Interfax" reports.