Eight residents of Dagestan accused of preparing mosque explosion acquitted

The Supreme Court of Dagestan has acquitted nine defendants accused of terrorism and illegal keeping of weapon. It became known at the trial that the defendants had been tortured.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported earlier that last December President of Dagestan Mukhu Aliev said at the press conference in Moscow that the detained members of a criminal group were going to blow up the Central Mosque in Makhachkala and assassinate one of Moslem spiritual leaders.

The "Gazeta.Ru" reports that the acquittal was passed on the basis of jurymen's verdict. The investigation had accused Zair Khakimov, a citizen of Tajikistan, of creating a criminal "jama'at", comprised of eight residents of Dagestan.

Today, the "Kommersant" gives the details of the court session and of the criminal case itself. The newspaper remarks that the indictment contained not a single word about any crimes committed or mediated by the defendants. However, firearms were found on some of the detainees, but they stated unanimously at the trial that the arms had been planted on them.

All the nine persons were trialled for participation in an illegal armed formation (IAF) and keeping of weapon (Articles 208 and 222 of the Russian Criminal Code).

According to the defendants, all the evidences had been tortured out of them, and Zair Khakimov himself said that his memory was vague and demonstrated scars on his head, which resulted in memory blackouts.

Mr Khakimov reported in his interview to the paper that they had been arrested just because they prayed.