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Defendantâ€™s pre-trial testimony publicized during the â€œForest brothersâ€™ trial

10 July 2009 15:07 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ramil Mammadli â€“ APA. Hearing in the Court of Grave Crimes on the case of the organized gang of 26, which is accused of forming a group â€œForest brothersâ€, committing a number of crimes, including terror attack on Abu Bakr mosque, was held on Friday. According to APA, defendant Elnur Bashirovâ€™s pre-trial testimony was publicized and its videotape was shown at the process presided by Judge Karamat Aliyev. Bashirov told preliminary investigation that he is a student of National Aviation Academy. He was former classmate of Samir Mehdiyev, who was accused in the number of crimes and declared wanted. He said he had information about the Mehdiyevâ€™s relations with illegal armed groups in Dagestan. He said he helped to Mehdiyev, Ilgar Mollaciyev and Ismayil to commit explosion in Abu Bakr mosque in 2008. He also gave details of his assistance to Mehdiyev and Mollaciyev to cross the state borders of Azebaijan illegally.

Bashirov didnâ€™t admit his guilt in the explosion and said he was under pressure to give that testimony. Judge Aliyev said statements about the torture agains the defendants during the preliminary investigation should be based on the exact facts. The judge asked media representative not to publish the testimonies of the defendants to avoid its negative impact on the investigation.

The process will be continued on July 13.

According to indictment, Ilgar â€œAbdulmajeedâ€ Mollaciyev from Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan, his brother-in-law Samir â€œSuleymanâ€ Mehdiyev and other persons involved in radical religious group, including Azerbaijanis Elnur Bashirov, Gudrat Malikov, Khalid Valimatov, Ulfat Malikov, Vahid Asadov, Zabit Shikhbabayev, Fariz Mammadov, Samir Babayev, Anar Valimatov, Rasim ISgandarov, Elshan allahverdiyev, Rafig Agajanov, Taleh Maharramov, Teymur Narimanov, Bozorgi Kamran, Azer Bakhishov, Musa Orujov, Alexander Nuraliyev, Mammad Mammadov, Elkhan Osmanov, Zaur Jafarov, Rufat Rzayev, Sardar Bunyatov, Russian citizens Magomed Isayev and Turkish citizens Yamin Ali and Ozdemir Erginwith them were identified implicated in an explosion in Abu Bakr mosque in Baku on August 17, 2008. The Ministry of National Security arrested the Sumgayit group (Abu Jafar group) of 17, including the groupâ€™s leader â€“ Naif Abdulkarim Al-Badawi in 2007. Later Mollaciyev and Mehdiyev formed a new group planning to commit terrorist attacks to violate socio-political stability in Azerbaijan. 13 members of the group were arrested by the Ministry of National Security and large deal of ammunitions, explosives, schemes, instructions, communication means, maps, battle instructions for the mountainous and forestry areas, military equipments and others were confiscated from them. Two of them â€“ Taleh Maharramov and Samir Babayev gave detailed evidences about the activity, plans and intentions of the group. They said those persons helped Samir Mehdiyev, Ilgar Mollaciyev and others, who illegally crossed the state borders of Azerbaijan on July 19, to arrive in Baku and Sumgayit. The first part of the â€œForest Brothersâ€ â€“ â€œSumgayit Jamaatâ€ had to commit robberies in Baku and to collect money to fund armament and terrorist attacks. The second part â€“ â€œGuba and Gusar Jamaatâ€ had to set military camps in the mountainous and forestry areas of the republic. Member of the â€œForest Brothersâ€ Araz Balabeyov and several others, were killed during the anti-terror operations in southern regions of Dagestan.

The defendants faced charges under Articles 214 (terrorism), 120 (premeditated murder), 279 (creation of armed formations or groups, which are not provided by the legislation of the Azerbaijan Republic), 228 (illegal purchase, transfer, selling, storage, transportation and carrying of fire-arms, accessories to it, supplies, explosives) of the Penal Code. 26 persons were detained and faced with charges.