MOSCOW, October 26 (Itar-Tass) — A court sanctioned, in absentia, the arrest of Doku Umarov who leads militants in the North Caucasus, Investigative Committee (SK) spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass.
"A court passed resolutions in absentia on selecting arrest as the measure of restraint for Doku Umarov and Aslan Byutukayev and on bringing charges against them," Markin said.
In February 2011, Doku Umarov claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in Domodedovo. In March, Umarov and another four members of an illegal paramilitary formation were charged in absentia. Umarov and Byutukayev were accused of setting up a stable armed group and criminal community, and Adam Ganizhev, Islam Yevloyev, Aslan Tsechoyev were charged with participating in stable armed group and criminal community.
The custody for the four persons detained within the case has been extended to January 24 which marks the first anniversary of the terrorist attack by a suicide bomber.
"The court granted the investigator's petition to extend the arrest for defendants Bashir Khamkhoyev, brothers Salim and Ilez Yandiyev and Akhmed Yevloyev to January 24, 2012.
"At present, the investigator is solidifying the evidence within the criminal case, and plans to finalize the charges against the defendants. Depending on the role they played in the crime, they will be charged under Articles 205, 209, 210, and 222 of Russia's Criminal Code ("act of terror, banditry, participation in illegal paramilitary formation and illegal turnover of weapons)," the SK representative said.
Meanwhile, the investigator has been checking the information about the murder in Istanbul of two North Caucasus natives, wanted by Interpol in connection with the Domodedovo bombing. "The investigators are checking the information about the murder, by an unidentified person in Istanbul in September 2011, of Zaurbek Amriyev and Rustam Altemirov, who were on the international wanted list," Markin said.
The terrorist attack in the arrivals hall at the Domodedovo airport was carried out by a suicide bomber on January 24, 2011. The blast killed 36 persons, and injured another 200.
It was ascertained that the attack was largely aimed against foreign citizens. There were eight foreigners among the fatalities, and at least 17 foreigners were rushed to hospitals, including citizens of Germany, Italy, Nigeria, Moldova, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan and France.
The bomb was set off by resident of the village of Ali-Yurt, Inghushetia, Magomed Yevloyev. Earlier, police detained several persons who supposedly had abetted him.
One of the suspects within the case - Bashir Khamkhoyev, 19 - will go on trial shortly, on charges of attempted murder of police officer, illegal keeping of firearms, participating in illegal paramilitary formation and inducing a person into committing terrorism-related crimes. Khamkhoyev was a member of an armed group in Ingushetia. He was detained in the Sunzha district on February 2, after getting involved in a car crash. A search of his car found firearms and ammunition.