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Hearings into Minsk metro blast start in Belarus

Dmitry Konovalov and Vlad Kovalev, both born in Vitebsk in 1986, will face trial on charges of terrorism

MINSK, September 15 (Itar-Tass) — An open hearing into the Minsk metro station blast that occurred on April 11 this year is starting in the Belarusian capital on Thursday. Dmitry Konovalov and Vlad Kovalev, both born in Vitebsk in 1986, will face trial on charges of terrorism. Konovalov is also accused of staging explosions in his native Vitebsk on September 14 and 22, 2005 and in Minsk on the night from July 3 to 4, 2008.

Alexander Fedortsov, the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Belarus, will preside at the trial in which three state prosecutors are going to take part. Prosecutors say that investigators have no information that some contractors and organizers stood behind the two young men. According to the deputy chief prosecutor Andrei Shved, the motives behind the actions were personal.

“A hypertrophic feeling of self-importance and general dislike of people pushed them to committing this crime,” said Oleg Kotenev from the anti-terror centre of the State Security Committee of Belarus.

Under Belarusian laws, people convicted on charges of terrorism may face death penalty.

A powerful bomb explosion occurred at the Oktybrskaya metro station in Minsk in the rush hour on April 11, 2011. Fifteen people died and about 200, including three Russian nationals, were injured.

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