Incident Details

• 37 nearby houses were damaged, 25 of them seriously (window frames and glass were blown out by the blast wave).
• The supply of electricity, gas, and water was interrupted.
• A crater 3.5 meters deep and 13-15 meters in diameter formed at the site of the explosion.
• According to preliminary expert estimates, the power of the explosion corresponded to 1000 - 1500 kg in TNT equivalent.

Investigation Findings

In the course of the investigation, the following was established:

• The improvised explosive device was located in a GAZ-53 vehicle, manufactured in 1987, a van body with the inscription 'FURNITURE' [MEBEL], state license plate Ts 3781 RP.
• The owner of the exploded vehicle is Iskenderov Abbaskuli Iskander-ogly, an Azerbaijani, native of the Azerbaijan SSR, born in 1944, registered in Volgodonsk, Koshevoy St. 68, apt. 1, living with his wife at Oktyabrskoye Shosse 35, apt. 39.
• Iskenderov had constantly parked this vehicle at the entrance of house No. 35 for more than three years.

Timeline of Events

• On September 16, 1999, Iskenderov was detained under Art. 122 of the RSFSR Code of Criminal Procedure on suspicion of committing this crime.
• Subsequently, it was established that Iskenderov had no connection to the commission of the act of terrorism, and the criminals actually used him 'blindly' [without his knowledge].
• During interrogations, the suspect, and then witness Iskenderov, testified that on September 13, 1999, at a truck parking lot under an overpass in Volgodonsk, he met three persons of Caucasian nationality who arrived in the city in a KAMAZ truck loaded with potatoes for sale.
• In addition to the truck, these persons used a dark green Moskvich-Svyatogor car for transportation.
• The Caucasians bought his GAZ-53 vehicle, explaining that they needed it to deliver potatoes, of which they had brought more than 10 tons, to the city's markets.
• On the same day, the Caucasians handed him 300 US dollars and 2200 rubles of the agreed amount, and he handed over the vehicle to them.
• They agreed to finalize the sale and purchase transaction on September 16.
• On the same day, the GAZ-53 vehicle was placed by them on the territory of motorcade No. 2070, where explosives were loaded into the van body and an explosive device was installed, disguised with loose potatoes.
• On September 15, 1999, having previously warned Iskenderov by phone, one of the Caucasians picked him up in the 'Moskvich' at home and brought him to the motorcade.
• Ostensibly to save time, the Caucasian persuaded Iskenderov to park the vehicle near his house for the night, so that at about 7:00 AM on September 16, 1999, they could transport the potatoes to the market, and then, after their sale, finalize the sale and purchase documents.
• Having paid Iskenderov 70 rubles as a reward, one of the Caucasians accompanied him in the 'Moskvich' vehicle to the site and, having...