PROTOCOL of Interrogation of the Accused

Moscow (place of compilation)
"14" July 2002

Interrogation Times:
* Started: 21:10
* Ended: 23:50
* Break: _ h _ min to _ h _ min

Investigators (Inquirers):
* Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases (of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia): Captain of Justice Ignatiev V.A.
* Investigator for Particularly Important Cases (of the same Department): Captain of Justice Savitsky M.A.

Location:
In the premises of office No. 325 of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia.

Legal Basis:
Interrogation conducted in accordance with Art. 173, 174 and 189 of the CCP RF in criminal case No. 103.

Accused Information

The following individual was interrogated as the accused:

1. Surname, First Name, Patronymic: Dekkushev Adam Osmanovich
2. Date of Birth: February 3, 1962
3. Place of Birth: Karachaevsk, KChAO [Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast], Stavropol Krai
4. Place of Residence and (or) Registration: Karachaevsk, Lenin St., house 75
   • Telephone: 4-35-54
5. Citizenship: Russian Federation
6. Education: Secondary
7. Marital Status, Family Composition: Married, wife — Dekkusheva Zemfira Magomedovna, two children: Murat (12 years old), Ibragim (10 years old)
8. Place of Work or Study: Unemployed
   • Telephone: --------
9. Relation to Military Duty: Liable for military service, registered at the Karachaevsk RVK [District Military Commissariat].

[signature]

Procedural Documentation Notes

Accused Information

• Criminal Record: According to his words, the accused has none.
  • (Details required: when and by which court convicted, under which article of the CC RF, type and amount of punishment, when released)
• Passport or Other Identifying Document: Identity documents, according to his words, are lost.
• Other Personal Data: ______

Participating Persons

• Defense Counsel: Lawyer of Legal Consultation No. 9 of the MGKA
  • (Procedural status, surnames, initials of participating persons)

Rights and Notifications

• Technical Means: Participating persons were informed about the use of technical means:
  • (Specify which ones exactly, and by whom)
• Rights Explanation (CCP RF Art. 47): Before the start of the first interrogation, the rights provided for by Art. 47 of the CCP RF were explained to the accused Dekkushev A.O. (surname, initials).
• Right Against Self-Incrimination (Constitution of the Russian Federation Art. 51): It was explained to the accused that in accordance with Art. 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, he is not obliged to testify against himself, his spouse, and other close relatives, the circle of which is defined by paragraph 4 of Art. 5 of the CCP RF.
• Language Rights (CCP RF Art. 18): According to Art. 18 of the CCP RF, the right to give testimony in his native language or in the language he speaks, as well as to use the services of an interpreter free of charge, was explained to him.
• Charges Explanation: The essence of the charges brought against him for committing crimes provided for by part 3 of article 205 and part 3 of article 222 of the CC RF has been explained to him and is understood.

Plea

• Plea: The accused states: I plead guilty to committing the crimes provided for by part 3 of article 205 and part 3 of article 222 of the CC RF in full.
  • (Options: plead guilty, do not plead guilty, plead guilty partially)

Signatures:

• Accused: [signature]
• (Signature)
• Accused: [signature]
• (Signature)
• [Signature for Plea]
• (Signature)

Testimony Transcript

Language Preference:
* I wish to give testimony in the Russian language.
* (Wish, do not wish) (in which language specifically)

Accused: [signature]

Testimony on the Merits of the Charges

The accused testified as follows:

• Arrival in Chechnya: After the first war in Chechnya, approximately in 1997, the accused arrived on the territory of the Chechen Republic to study the basics of Islam.
• Initial Location: The accused was in the "Kavkaz" camp under the leadership of Khattab.
• Camp Details: This camp was located near the settlement of Serzhen-Yurt on the territory of what appeared to be a former holiday camp.
• Employment: The accused worked as a driver on a "Ural" truck and was supervised by Abu Jafar, an Arab by nationality who reported directly to Khattab.
• Departure: After 2–3 months, the accused left because they realized they could not learn anything and the pay was low.
• Post-Departure Activities: Upon returning to Karachaevsk, the accused took odd jobs and visited the mosque, which was located in a former billiard room.

Events in 1999

• Invitation: In the summer of 1999, while in Kislovodsk at his wife's parents' house, the accused was told he needed to go to Chechnya to see Khattab and work on a truck.
• Second Arrival: The accused arrived at the same "Kavkaz" camp near Serzhen-Yurt.
• Task: There, he was instructed to bring aluminum paint (powder) from Volgograd.
• Contact: A Chechen man, whose name the accused does not remember but who died in Atagi, lived there.
• Communication: Upon arriving in Volgograd, the accused contacted this man using a phone number provided by Abu Umar.
  • Abu Umar's Role: Abu Umar was an Arab under Khattab's command and headed the "Mutafadjirat" unit, which dealt with explosions.
  • Means of Contact: The call was made from a cell phone purchased in Kislovodsk using money received from the Arabs.
• Acquisition and Transport: This Chechen helped the accused buy the aluminum powder at a large factory.
  • Quantity: The powder was packed in iron drums with a total weight of about 1 ton.
  • Delivery: The accused transported this powder on a passing truck to Yoska (Yusuf) Krymshamkhalov's house.

[signature]

Incident Summary: Explosive Preparation and Transport

Initial Acquisition and Preparation

• Location: Mirny near Kislovodsk and Erken-Shakhar.
• Acquisition: From a private individual in Erken-Shakhar, approximately 5–7 tons of granulated sugar were purchased and transported to Yoska's house.
• Participants:
  • Batchaev brothers: Timur and Zaur.
  • An Ingush man (whose name is not recalled and who also died).
  • Yoska Krymshamkhalov.
• Mixing Process:
  • A concrete mixer was used to combine:
    • Aluminum powder
    • Sugar
    • Ammonium nitrate (purchaser unknown).
  • The mixture was poured into sugar bags obtained from the director of the sugar factory in Erken-Shakhar (of Nogai nationality).
• Intent: Yoska Krymshamkhalov and the narrator were certain the resulting explosive substance would be transported to Chechnya.

Transport to Kislovodsk

• Arrival of Achimez: Achimez Gochiyayev, known to the narrator from Karachayevsk, arrived after the substance was ready.
• First Transport: The bags were moved from Yoska's house to his uncle's warehouse in Kislovodsk using a KAMAZ truck (license plate unknown; the driver believed it was sugar).
• Narrator's Departure: The narrator argued with Achimez and left for Chechnya to avoid further involvement.
• Return to Kislovodsk: In Chechnya, the narrator arrived at the 'Kavkaz' camp in Serzhen-Yurt but was sent back a day later.
  • Reason for Return: Achimez had left 5 tons of explosives in Kislovodsk, loaded into the aforementioned KAMAZ.
  • Context: At this time, events were unfolding in Dagestan. Abu-Umar advised that the explosives needed to be taken to Russia and detonated to scare the Russians and stop the war in Dagestan.

Final Movement to Volgodonsk

• Reloading: In Kislovodsk, the bags were reloaded into a KAMAZ purchased on credit from the cousin of Iskhak Temirliev.
  • Vehicle Details: The vehicle was driven to Kislovodsk by Timur Batchaev.
  • Owner/Nationality: Iskhak Temirliev is a Karachay living in Sary-Tyuz, Ust-Dzhegutinsky district.
• Journey: The group traveled to Volgodonsk.
  • Drivers: Timur and Yoska drove the KAMAZ.
  • Narrator's Transport: The narrator traveled ahead in a 'Moskvitch-Svyatogor' they had purchased.
• Objective: The intended target was to blow up the truck containing the explosives at the dam located in Volgodonsk.

Note: The text ends abruptly before detailing the outcome of the plan in Volgodonsk.

Incident Summary and Personal Account

Bombing Preparation and Execution

• Action: Timur and Yoska insisted on blowing up a vehicle near a residential building.
• Vehicle Used: A "GAZ" vehicle with a box body was purchased and loaded with sacks (which were told to the owner to contain potatoes).
• Deployment: The "GAZ" was left in front of the house where its previous owner lived, who drove it there.
• Device Placement: Timur set the explosive device, though the specifics of the device or its installation are unknown to the narrator.
• Aftermath: The narrator immediately traveled to Serzhen-Yurt, where they learned the vehicle had exploded and destroyed a residential building. Yoska and Timur subsequently drove a KAMAZ (purchased from Temirliev) to the narrator's home in Karachayevsk before also heading to Chechnya.

Stay in Chechnya (Approx. 1.5 Years)

• Combat Operations: The narrator participated in combat operations against federal forces in Abu Jafar's unit.
• Locations of Combat: Operations took place in:
  • Chervlennaya village, Nadterechny district.
  • Serzhen-Yurt.
• Activities:
  • The narrator drove a KAMAZ to transport people from illegal armed groups.
  • The narrator was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding stock and engaged Russian troops at a distance, though the narrator did not confirm any kills.
• Movement within Chechnya:
  • After the main battles in Serzhen-Yurt, the group moved to Shatoy.
  • The narrator then traveled by car to Selmentauzen, where they joined Abu Jafar's group and handed over the car.
  • The group returned to Serzhen-Yurt and moved around its outskirts through various villages.
• Departure:
  • In the autumn of 2000, most people began leaving Chechnya for Georgia and Azerbaijan.
  • The narrator initially decided to stay but later left for Georgia due to strained relations with the Arabs.

Life in Georgia

• Residences:
  1. An Arab base in Tsinubani village, Pankisi Gorge.
  2. The Turks in Birkiani village.
  3. Duisi, where the narrator married a local resident (a Chechen-Kistin by nationality).
• Current Status: The narrator lived with the spouse until their detention, which occurred on the day of writing.

Question: Who participated in the preparation and commission of the bombings of residential buildings in the cities of Moscow and Volgodonsk in September 1999?

[signature]

Testimony Summary

Travel and Associates

• Volgodonsk: The speaker traveled to Volgodonsk with Timur Batchayev and Yoska Krymshamkhalov.
• Moscow: The speaker is unsure who went to Moscow, but believes the following individuals were there:
  • Achimez Gochiyayev
  • Zaur Batchayev
  • A Tatar named Islam (approximately 18–20 years old).
    • Note: Islam visited Yoska's house. He spoke Russian and revealed little about himself. Later, it was learned that he died during mortar shelling at the "Shatoy crossing."

Current Status of Individuals

Instructions and Movements

Leaving Kislovodsk for Chechnya (Summer of 1999)

• Instruction Source: Someone from the Uchkeken jamaat.

Trip to Volgograd (Aluminum Powder Delivery)

• Instruction Source: Abu-Umar.
• Action: The speaker was instructed to go to Volgograd to purchase aluminum powder and deliver it to the village of Mirny.
• Meeting in Mirny: Upon delivery, the speaker met Yoska Krymshamkhalov.
  • Yoska's Suggestion: He suggested unloading the aluminum powder at his home garage.
  • Discrepancy: Abu-Umar did not specify that the powder should be unloaded at Yoska's home.
• Further Testimony: The speaker intends to supplement this testimony with details from a few days later when bringing materials to Mirny.

Key Figures Mentioned

• Abu-Umar
• Achimez Gochiyayev
• Timur Batchayev
• Yoska Krymshamkhalov
• Zaur Batchayev
• Islam
• Uchkeken jamaat

Locations Mentioned

• Volgodonsk
• Moscow
• Karachay-Cherkessia
• Kabardino-Balkaria
• Pankisi Gorge
• Kislovodsk
• Chechnya
• Abu-Umar
• Mirny
• Volgograd
• Shatoy crossing
• Uchkeken

Testimony Transcript Excerpt

Events Leading to the Operation

• Arrival and Instructions: The Batchayev brothers, Timur and Zaur, arrived at Yoska's location.
• Procurement of Sugar: They instructed the narrator to purchase 5-7 tons of granulated sugar from the Erken-Shakhar sugar factory, providing funds for the purchase.
• Delivery:
  • The sugar was bought at Erken-Shakhar.
  • It was delivered to Kislovodsk and unloaded at a base directed by Yoska's uncle.
  • The transport method to the base is unknown.
• Explosives Preparation and Transport:
  • Explosives were brought to the same base.
  • The explosives were mixed by the Batchayev brothers and one Ingush in the settlement of Mirny.
  • The explosive mixture consisted of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder.
  • The mixture was transported from Mirny to the base in Kislovodsk using a KAMAZ truck equipped with a sea container instead of a truck bed.
  • Yoska arranged the transport, and the driver was unaware of the cargo.
  • The vehicle was parked at the base for safety.
• Subsequent Actions:
  • The narrator does not know how the explosives and sugar were removed from the base, as they subsequently left for Chechnya to meet Abu-Umar.
  • Abu-Umar informed the narrator that a portion of the explosives was sent to Moscow and used by Gochiyayev in the apartment bombings.
  • Abu-Umar instructed the narrator to return to Stavropol Krai, retrieve the remaining explosives, and transport them to Volgodonsk for an apartment bombing.
  • The narrator felt compelled to carry out this instruction due to their involvement in the Moscow apartment bombings.

Legal Declaration

Question: Do you repent for what you have done?

Answer: I fully plead guilty to the preparation and commission, together with those mentioned above, of the bombings of residential buildings in the city of Moscow in 1999 and I repent for what I have done. I am ready to provide any assistance to the investigation. I am ready to give detailed testimony on all additional questions regarding the circumstances of the apartment bombings in the cities of Moscow and Volgodonsk in subsequent interrogations.

Accused (signature): (Signature provided)