Another 2 suspected members of Basayev-Khattab gang to go on trial over 2000 attack on Pskov paratroopers in Chechnya
ROSTOV-ON-DON. June 22 (Interfax) - The Russian Investigative Committee's department for the North Caucasus Federal District has forwarded its charges brought against two members of an armed gang involved in an attack on federal forces in Chechnya in 2000 to a court, the Russian Investigative Committee's press service said.
"A criminal investigation opened against Stavropol territory residents Faizbek Amangaziyev and Arslan Valiyev has been completed. They have been charged with committing crimes under Part 2 of Article 209 and Article 317 of the Russian Penal Code (participation in a gang and an attempt on the life of servicemen)," the press service said.
Investigators believe that Amangaziyev and Valiyev, acting within a combined armed gang led by field commanders Shamil Basayev and Khattab, took part in an attack on servicemen from the 76th Pskov Airborne Division in a mountainous and wooded area in Chechnya's Shatoi district on February 29, 2000.
"They attacked from three directions, took positions and started to fire 5.45mm Kalashnikov assault rifles targeting the servicemen," the press service said.
Eighty-four servicemen were killed and another four were wounded in the attack, which continued until the early hours of March 1, 2000.
Eight people involved in the attack, including Oleksandr Malofeyev, a member of UNA-UNSO (a nationalist organization, banned in Russia), had earlier been convicted and given long prison terms.