Trial of Georgian accused of top assassination attempt enters closing phase

The trial of a Georgian man accused of trying to assassinate the U.S. and Georgian presidents approached its end on Wednesday, as the court was expected to convene for closing statements.

Vladimir Arutyunian faces life in prison for allegedly trying to kill U.S. President George W. Bush and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili at a huge rally in May and for killing a policeman in a shootout before his arrest.

Arutyunian, whose trial began last month, has acknowledged that he threw a grenade in the direction of the stage where Bush and Saakashvili were standing behind a bulletproof barrier and said that he would try again to kill Bush if he had the chance.

The grenade Arutyunian is accused of throwing landed about 100 feet (30 meters) from the stage. It did not explode, and no one was hurt, according to the AP.

V.Y.