The Moscow City Court on Wednesday handed a 15-year sentence in a maximum-security prison to a Caucasus rebel who planned two suicide bombings on Red Square on New Year's Eve two years ago.
The court convicted Ilyas Saidov of several charges, which he committed as part of an organized criminal group, the Prosecutor General's Office said in a statement. The charges include racketeering, terrorism, attempting to detonate an explosion, assaulting a police officer, murder, and illegal turnover of weapons and explosives.
The verdict said Saidov brought two explosive devices to Moscow on a regular bus from Makhachkala, the capital of the Dagestan republic, in order to pass them to female suicide bombers who were supposed to set them off on Red Square on the night of Dec. 31, 2010.
One of the suicide bombers died when the explosives accidentally detonated in her room several hours before the planned attack, while the other one — Zeinap Suyunova ?€” and another associate, Timur Akubekov, were sentenced to 10 years in jail each by the same court in May 2012.
The court determined that in 2010 on the territory of Dagestan, Saidov joined a criminal gang led by Ibragimkhalil Daudov. The group's activities were aimed at winning independence from Russia for the North Caucasus republics, prosecutors said.
Saidov was also convicted of carrying out with his associates three bombings, two attempts on the lives of policemen and military officers, several murders of civilians and three bombing attempts. He was also found guilty of illegal weapons and explosives possession.
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.