Former deputy minister interrogated by SC of Kabardino-Balkaria on the case of Ingush militiamen

On September 26, the Supreme Court (SC) of Kabardino-Balkaria continued the trial of the leaders of the Malgobek ROVD (District Militia) of Ingushetia, accused of negligence that had led to Beslan terror act.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has managed to establish that former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia Torchkhoev was interrogated as a witness at the court session.

His evidences referred to the availability in summer of 2004 of the information at disposal of law enforcement bodies about the preparation of the Beslan terror act.

Mr Torchkhoev has evidenced that in the capacity of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia he knew nothing about the would-be terror act.

The court session started to announce the materials of the classified volume of the criminal case. The victims have subscribed not to disclose the contents of these materials. They are prohibited to make notes or copies of these materials.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has managed to find out that the classified volume contains telegrams, cryptograms and other messages, sent in summer of 2004 from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation to the heads of regional law-enforcement bodies that a terror act similar to Budyonnovsk was being prepared in Northern Caucasus.

The victims are against making these materials classified. In the opinion of Ella Kesaeva, head of the "Voice of Beslan" Public Organization, the announcement of these materials to be secret pursues the aim purpose to conceal those officials in charge of failing to take the due preventive measures against the terror act.