21:33, 29 November 2017

Resident of Chechnya accused of attempt on Imam Tsechoev

As reported by the Russian General Prosecutor's Office (GPO), the case of a resident of Grozny accused of attempting to kill the Ingush Imam Isa Tsechoev has been sent to the court.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 30, 2016, unidentified attackers left a car stuffed with explosives near the mosque in the village of Ali-Yurt; they intended to blow up Isa Tsechoev, the Imam of the mosque, law enforcement sources then reported. On December 13, 2016, a source reported prevention of yet another attempt on Imam Tsechoev.

Rights defenders linked the attempt on Tsechoev with threats from Chechnya. On February 2, 2016, Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, criticized religious figures in Ingushetia Khamzat Chumakov and Isa Tsechoev.

According to investigators, the above resident of Grozny had agreed, for 30,000 US dollars, to take part in the murder of the famous Imam in Ali-Yurt. On August 27, 2016, he was to notify his accomplices about the appearance of the Imam in the mosque, so that they could kill him.

According to the GPO, on August 30, the criminals failed to blow up the car with explosives near the mosque, because a local resident reported a suspicious car to the police. On December 13, 2016, the resident of Chechnya was detained; a grenade was found in his car.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.