21:00, 25 February 2009

Bastrykin is sure that Makhmudovs were involved in Politkovskaya's murder

Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russian ICPO (Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office), has stated that the investigation has no doubts that the defendants who were acquitted last week had been involved in Anna Politkovskaya's murder.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that yesterday, on February 24, Vladimir Markin, an official spokesman of the ICPO, promised that the inquiry into Politkovskaya's murder would go on until all the culprits are revealed.

"The main proofs of Makhmudov brothers' involvement were gathered in August 2007... It allowed us to make a respective statement. Further proofs gathered later added more confidence in these persons' involvement. We have no doubts about it now. Another thing that we couldn't convince the jurymen," Mr Bastrykin said at the final sitting of the Board of the General Prosecutor's Office, as the "Rosbalt" reports.

"We'll search the gunman and the customer. We'll continue searching proofs. Thus, there'll be no termination of the case," Alexander Bastrykin told "Interfax" today.