A man has been sentenced to 15 years in a maximum-security prison on terrorism charges for planning to live-stream a suicide bombing directed against a Russian military unit.
Murodbek Kodirov was detained in August 2017 on suspicion of plotting an attack in a crowded place on Sept. 1, the first day of the school year.
Kodirov had instead targeted a Russian Aerospace Forces unit with the goal of “forcing an end to [Moscow’s] military campaign in Syria,” the Kommersant business daily cited case materials as saying on Monday.
The convict planned to live-stream a car ramming and suicide bombing with accomplices, Kommersant cited Kodirov and the Federal Security Service (FSB) as saying.
Kodirov reportedly sought to avenge the killing of his brother in Syria, which he was informed of by the followers of Islamic State, a terrorist organization banned in Russia.
Experts estimated that the bomb that was found in his rented apartment in the Moscow region had a blast radius of 17 meters and was capable of wounding victims as far as 200 meters away.
The Supreme Court has upheld the Moscow District Military Court’s May ruling to convict Kodirov to 15 years on terrorism charges, Kommersant reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
