16:32, 12 June 2008

Group accused of links with al-Qaeda trialled in Azerbaijan

On June 12, the Court on Grave Crimes of Azerbaijan started proceedings on the case of citizen of Saudi Arabia named Nail Abdul Kerim al-Bedevi, also known as Abu Dzhafar, and 17 other defendants. All of them are accused of setting up an armed terrorist group. According to the materials of the investigation, Abu Dzhafar was closely linked with international terrorists from al-Qaeda and al-Jihad.

The process is held in the closed mode. As it became known to the "Caucasian Knot" from the sources in the court, at today's session State Prosecutor Huseinhan Mamedov has announced the indictment. The majority of defendants, including Abu Dzhafar, have only partially admitted their guilt. Some of them assert to be innocent.
The figurants in the case are 43 witnesses and 3 victims.

So far, the advocates refrain from comments. Thus, lawyer Aidyn Nazarli said, when asked by the "Caucasian Knot" to what extent the charges of the links of the group with al-Qaeda and al-Jihad were grounded, that "these issues will become clear in the course of judicial investigation."

Author: Faik Medzhid, CK correspondent