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INFORMATION
on the results of the investigation of criminal cases
initiated on the facts of explosions in the cities of Moscow,
Volgodonsk, as well as the conduct of exercises in
the city of Ryazan

I. Explosions in Moscow

The Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia continues the investigation of acts of terrorism committed in September 1999 in the city of Moscow — explosions of two residential buildings at 19 Guryanova St. and 6 Kashirskoye Highway, bldg. 3, as a result of which 228 people died.
In accordance with the developed plan for their investigation, in cooperation with operational units of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, 1,296 interrogations of witnesses and victims, 76 identifications, 44 seizures, and 254 inspections of objects and documents significant for the case, 81 searches, and 490 various forensic examinations were carried out.
As a result of the complex of investigative actions and operational-search measures, exhaustive evidence was obtained regarding the commission of the investigated acts of terrorism by an organized criminal group from among the members of Chechen illegal armed formations under the leadership of A. Sh. Gochiyayev, which, in addition to him, included Yu. I. Krymshamkhalov, T. A. Batchaev, A. O. Dekkushev, D. F. Saitakov, and Kh. M. Abaev, and a number of other persons.
On the basis of procedurally established data on the role and degree of participation of each of them in the preparation and implementation of the apartment bombings, resolutions were issued to charge them, to apply a preventive measure in the form of detention, and they have all been placed on federal and international wanted lists.
In addition, the evidence available in the case clearly indicates the fact that the direct organizers of the investigated acts of terrorism are the leaders of the IAF [Illegal Armed Formations], foreign mercenaries of Arab origin Khattab and Abu Umar (according to the Department for the Protection of the Constitutional Order and the Fight against Terrorism of the FSB of Russia, the latter was killed in July 2001 during a counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya). Currently, the issue of bringing Khattab to criminal responsibility for organizing the apartment bombings in Moscow has been resolved, and a search for him has been announced.
At the same time, during the search for criminals in the zones of counter-terrorist operations in March 2000, a second criminal group was identified and neutralized, prepared by Khattab's deputy, the Arab mercenary Abu Al-Walid Al-Ghamidi (brought to criminal responsibility on 08.01.02 and placed on the wanted list), under the leadership of the accused A. Sh. Gochiyayev, consisting of IAF members: M. Bostanov, A. Bostanov, T. Frantsuzov, M. Tuganbaev, and M. Baimukov, which was equipped and sent from the territory of Chechnya to commit further acts of terrorism in the city of Moscow and other cities in the North Caucasus.
Despite the measures taken, Gochiyayev managed to hide, and the detained members of his group were brought to criminal responsibility and convicted by the Stavropol Krai Court on November 14, 2001, for committing crimes provided for by Part 1 of Art. 30, Part 3 of Art. 205 (attempted terrorism), Part 2 of Art. 208 (participation in illegal armed formations), and Part 3 of Art. 222 (illegal acquisition, storage, and carrying of firearms) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, to long terms of imprisonment.
In the course of further work to search for the named criminals, procedural evidence was obtained, which reliably established that currently the accused Gochiyayev, Abaev, Krymshamkhalov, Dekkushev, and Batchaev are outside the Russian Federation, in one of the CIS countries. Measures are being taken to organize their arrest and transfer to Russian law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
The investigation of the criminal case is under the constant control of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation.

II. Explosion in Volgodonsk

The specified criminal case was initiated on September 16, 1999, by the investigative department of the FSB Directorate for the Rostov Region on the grounds of a crime provided for by Art. 105 Part 2 paragraphs 'a', 'e', 'zh' and Art. 205 Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (murder and terrorism), on the fact of the explosion of an improvised explosive device on the same day at entrance 4 of building No. 35 on Oktyabrskoye Shosse in the city of Volgodonsk, Rostov Region.
As a result of the explosion, the facade part of Section I of the house (entrances 3 and 4) collapsed. From the ensuing consequences, more than 1,300 people sought medical help in the city's medical institutions, of whom 89 people were hospitalized (including 16 children). 18 dead were extracted from the rubble, including 2 children; another victim died in the hospital. 37 nearby houses were damaged, in 25 of which window frames and glass were blown out by the blast wave; the supply of electricity, gas, and water was interrupted.
At the site of the explosion, a crater 3.5 meters deep and 13-15 meters in diameter was formed. Fragments of the GAZ-53 vehicle, in which the explosive device was located, scattered within a radius of 1.5 km (according to the conclusion of the explosives technical examination, it was established that the power of the explosive device used in the commission of the crime in TNT equivalent is 800-1,800 kg).
By a joint order dated 16.09.1999 of the prosecutor of the Rostov region, the heads of the GUVD and the UFSB of the region, an interdepartmental investigative-operational group was created, which included investigators from the prosecutor's office, the SU UVD of Volgodonsk, and the investigative department of the UFSB for the region.
As a result of urgently conducted investigative actions and operational-search measures, it was established that the improvised explosive device was in a GAZ-53 truck with a 'MEBEL' [FURNITURE] box, state license plate Ts