Prosecutor General's Office of Russia provides evidence of Zakayev's guilt to Danish side

Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has handed over to the Danish side evidence proving the guilt of Akhmed Zakayev, one of the leaders of Chechen separatists, in committing concrete crimes, Sergei Fridinsky, Deputy Prosecutor General for the Southern Federal District, said on Tuesday. Addressing a news conference, Fridinsky pointed out that Russia's Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov had handed over on Tuesday the documents proving Zakayev's guilt to Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen staying currently in Moscow.

Fridinsky named the episodes of which Zakayev is accused.

Akhmed Zakayev formed a gang of 200 to 1,500 militants who committed terrorist and general criminal acts. In October 1995 in the town of Urus Martan Zakayev's gang seized two officials of a public prosecutor's office. On Zakayev's orders they were placed at a wall and were about to be executed by shooting, when their lives were saved by an elder of Urus Martan.

In December 1995 in Urus Martan a gang headed by Zakayev seized several administrative buildings and terrorized the local authorities and the local population, having shot about ten civilians.

In January 1996 Zakayev's gang seized and shot two clergymen.

In March 1996 Zakayev's gang seized a commandant's office in the Zavosdskoi district of Grozny and shot more than ten officials.

In August 1996 a gang commanded by Zakayev seized a railway station in Grozny. The militants killed or wounded over 300 policemen.

In October 1996 the gangs of Zakayev and Gelayev harassed local civilians in the Urus Martan region of Chechnya. Among their victims were pregnant women.

The materials of the criminal case contain documents confirming that in the basement of the house where Zakayev lived was used as a prison where killed or wounded servicemen and workers of law-enforcement bodies were brought for subsequent sale.

Zakayev took an active part in the 1999 mutiny in Daghestan.

Fridinsky stressed that the list of charges against Zakayev may be prolonged. Investigation into Zakayev's complicity in the terrorist act in the Theater Center in Moscow is underway. He confirmed that, according to Danish laws, a decision on Zakayev's extradition should be made by November 30th.

Sergei Fridinsky said also that about one hundred militants, including terrorist number one Shamil Basayev and the chief of Chechen separatists, Aslan Maskhadov, are on the wanted list.