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Suspected terrorist signs plea bargain agreement

Criminal proceedings against Ilyas Saidov, member of the gang that planned an act of terror in Moscow's Red Square, were pooled into a separate case

MOSCOW, October 30 (Itar-Tass) — A suspected member of the gang that planned an act of terror in Moscow's Red Square on the New Year's night has signed a plea bargain agreement, Investigation Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

"The SK main department has completed the probe into the criminal case against Ilyas Saidov," Markin said," a pre-trial cooperation agreement was concluded with Saidov, and the criminal proceedings against him were pooled into a separate case."

Earlier, reports said the Prosecutor General's Office /PGO/ had sent the criminal case against the suspected dynamiter to a court. He was charged with banditry, act of terror, attempted terrorist attack, attempted murder of law-enforcement official, murder and illegal turnover of weapons.

"The investigator said Saidov had voluntarily jointed the gang led by Ibragimkhalil Daudov in Dagestan in 2010. The purpose of the criminal activity was to ensure separation of the North Caucasus from Russia, and unsettle the socio-political situation in the region," PGO spokeswoman Marina Gridneva told Tass.

"In 2010, Saidov, together with his accomplices, was involved in the attempted murder of police and servicemen, murders of civilians, three acts of terror and three attempted terrorist attacks. He illegally stored, transported and carried firearms, ammunition and explosive devices.

During the preparation to stage an act of terror in Red Square in Moscow, Saidov brought two bombs on a bus from Makhachkala to Moscow. The bombs were intended for suicide bombers, Zeinap Suyunova and Zavzhat Daudova. The crime was not carried through, according to the PGO spokeswoman.

He committed other acts of terrorist on Dagestan railways. Together with his accomplices, he killed law-enforcement personnel – the head of the local department for combating extremism and his deputy – and three civilians in Izberbash.

A number of Saidov's accomplices were destroyed in special anti-terrorist operations. Another two, Zeinap Suyunova and Timur Akubekov, were convicted by the Moscow City Court. Other gang members are under investigation.

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