Militants from Ruslan Gelayev gang stand trial in Vladikavkaz

On Wednesday a trial of seven militants from the Ruslan Gelayev gang, invading Russia from Georgia in September 2002, has begun in Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia.

On the dock are natives of Russia's North Caucasian republics Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya and Daghestan, nationals of Georgia and Azerbaijan, RIA Novosti was told by the press service of the Supreme Court of North Ossetia. All of them have undergone special training in the militant camp of the Duisi village in Georgia's Akhmeta district.

Last autumn the armed bandits crossed the Russian state border in the Dzheirakh gorge and penetrated into North Ossetia and Ingushetia.

In the Tarskoye village of the Prigorodny district, they shot down two servicemen and took hostage four locals.

In the Galashki village in Ingushetia the terrorists shot down a Mi-24 military helicopter from a portable antiaircraft missile system. Three of its pilots died.

The band was destroyed in a massive military operation. Part of its members were detained.