Trial on Baksan HPP attack questions witnesses

On August 25, at the trial, where the attack on the Baksan Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) is considered, witnesses were questioned, including employees of the plant and operative agents.

Witness Amerbi Dogov, an employee of the criminal search section of the Baksan ROVD (District Interior Division), said that after the terror, the plant was under operative-search actions, during which information was received that the attack was committed by "Tashuev's bandit grouping". According to the witness, there was also information about involvement of the defendants in the terror act.

Witness Valery Shogenov, the top manager of the Baksan HPP, said that he lives near the plant. On that night he was awakened by an explosion; then, he heard another one. He ran to the station. At the gate of the plant he saw the car of security Mezhgikhov. Mezhgikhov himself, according to the witness, was sitting in the backseat with his head down; he was shot dead.

According to Shogenov's story, at the plant he found the shift manager Sabanchiev, who was scared. Sabanchiev told him that there were explosives in the turbine hall. He went there and saw a pack of silver colour with something shiny in it. "There were three such packs in the hall. We didn't touch them, came out of the turbine hall and outside the fence. At that time there we head another explosion," he said.

"I ordered to call fire fighters and the militia," said the witness. "Power agents arrived and managed to defuse the remaining explosive device."

Further, according to Shogenov, he and the employees Aslanov and Bugov helped the fire fighters.

Then, the court questioned shift managers Vladimir Aslanov and Anzor Sizhazhev and deputy chief engineer for technical equipment Rezuan Aliev. They all live near the plant.

The next court hearing is scheduled for August 29.