Gochiyayev Testimony and Litvinenko Letter
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This document contains the written testimony of Achemez Shagabanovich Gochiyayev, dated April 24, 2002, and a cover letter dated July 25, 2002, from Alexander Litvinenko and Yuri Felshtinsky to Sergei Kovalyov of the Public Commission investigating the 1999 apartment bombings. Gochiyayev denies FSB allegations that he was the mastermind of the Moscow bombings or that he received $500,000 from Basayev and Khattab, claiming instead that he was framed by a childhood acquaintance. He asserts that he unknowingly rented warehouses at Guryanova St. and Kashirskoye Highway for this acquaintance, only realizing the setup when the bombings occurred. Gochiyayev claims that on September 13, 1999, he contacted emergency services to warn them about additional warehouse locations at Borisov Ponds and Kapotnya, which prevented further explosions. He further details police harassment of his family and claims his brother, a police officer, informed him of a standing order for him to be killed rather than captured. The testimony concludes with Gochiyayev expressing willingness to speak to journalists but noting the lack of safety guarantees.
Events
- 1999-09-04 - Buynansk, Dagestan, apartment bombing kills 64
- 1999-09-13 - Moscow, Kashirskoye Highway apartment bombing, kills 119 people.