At trial in Vladikavkaz, Islam Kubachiev states self-slander under investigators' pressure

The Supreme Court of North Ossetia, which is trying Islam Kubachiev, 19, a resident of the village of Kizlyar, Mozdok District, accused of banditry and illegal circulation of firearms, ammunitions and explosives, has questioned the defendant, who refused to plead guilty and claimed that he had been forced by investigators to incriminate himself, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that, according to investigators, Kubachiev was involved in the activities of an illegal armed formation (IAF), aimed at committing attacks on law enforcers and military servicemen.

On October 29, 2013, as a result of careless handling of an improvised explosive device (IED) by one of the members of the above IAF an explosion happened and killed two persons.

On July 1, during interrogation, Kubachiev said that he visited a gym together with Khadjumarov and Chervaev – the casualties of the explosion, and he had never seen any firearms and ammunition on them.

On the day of the explosion, said Kubachiev, he helped Khadjumarov to finish the construction of a dugout; they had no IEDs with them; and he did not understand how the explosion occurred.

The state prosecutor said that there were significant discrepancies in Kubachiev's testimony and petitioned about announcing his earlier evidence, available in the criminal case files.