Chechen MIA refutes earlier kidnapping of Osupov who was assassinated in Grozny

The Chechen law enforcement bodies assert that the information that Albert Osupov, 26, a resident of the village of Elistanzhi, Vedeno District of Chechnya, who was killed at night on August 18 in Grozny together with three other alleged members of the armed underground, had been earlier kidnapped by unidentified persons has nothing to do with reality.

"Osupov's parents did not apply about kidnapping of their son," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at Chechen law enforcement bodies.

According to an officer of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), power agents possess information that on August 9 Albert Osupov, a resident of Elistanzhi, together with his two close acquaintances – Zaurbek Aisumov and Ruzambek Shakhmurzaev – left home and drove away in a car.

"Osupov's parents have really filed an application to law enforcement bodies about disappearance of their son, but it said that a white Lada car had driven up to the house; and Osupov got into the car without any compulsion. In fact, it was a prior agreement between Osupov, who had, by the way, been convicted and served his term for participation in bandit formations, and his acquaintances – Aisumov and Shakhmurzaev, who supposedly were in that car and arrived to pick up their partner. A little more than a week later, these three persons, together with another bandit, appeared in Grozny, where they were sent by the well-known bandit commander Muslim Gakaev with a mission to organize terror acts. They were liquidated in the course of a special operation," said the MIA officer.

He refused to comment the statement of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" that after disappearance of Albert Osupov power agents threatened his parents to execute them and destroy their property. "There's no sense to comment these crazy statements," said the source of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.