Moscow: at trial on "Sapsan" train bowing up, three defendants plead partially guilty

At the court session of the Moscow City Court on the case of attempt to undermine the high-speed passenger train "Sapsan", three defendants pleaded guilty in part.

According to Marina Gridneva, the official representative of the General Prosecutor's Office, the figurants in the case are members of the terrorist organization "Imarat Kavkaz" Islam Khamzhuev, Fail Nevlyutov, Mansur Edilbiev, and Mansur Umaev. The trial is being held behind closed doors.

At the court session, held on October 23, three defendants pleaded guilty in part, in particular, in possession of explosive substances and participation in illegal armed formations (IAFs); however, they denied charges of preparing a terror act and banditry. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Abusupyan Gaitaev, the lawyer of one of the defendants.

According to him, at the trial, the defendants stated that they were not going to blow up anything.

"As far as the position of my client Mansur Umaeva is concerned, he completely denies his guilt, and we insist on the fact that he did not commit any illegal acts," Abusupyan Gaitaev has noted.

The lawyer has also pointed to the fact that "three defendants deliberately renounced the idea of commitment of a terror act." He called charges of banditry "absurd and legally untenable."

At the next court session, which is scheduled for October 25, the prosecutors will continue to present evidence of guilt of the defendants.