17 January 2009, 11:00
In Stavropol, court reconsiders the case on bus explosion in Nevinnomyssk
The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that the Stavropol Territorial Court is holding a repeated hearing on charges moved against residents of Ingushetia Ruslan Kostoev and Zurab Tsuroev of blowing up the passenger bus "Pyatigorsk-Stavropol" committed at the bus station in the city of Nevinnomyssk on December 9, 2007.
The Court started consideration of this criminal case on August 5, 2008. According to the investigation, when the bus was still in Ingushetia, Kostoev and Tsuroev placed a self-made bomb containing hexogen and strike elements (nails, screws, etc.), masked as a 1-litre juice pack, under the back seat of the bus, and triggered the bomb at about 4:35 p.m., when the bus arrived at the bus station in Nevinnomyssk.
Under inspectors' versions, the bomb was made in Ingushetia, and Kostoev managed to freely bring it to Stavropol Territory, as he showed a militiaman's ID at checkpoints.
On September 9 last year the Court has sentenced Kostoev and Tsuroev to 24 and 23 years of imprisonment, respectively, with serving their first 5 years in prison, and the remaining term - in a strict custody colony. Then the case was sent to reconsideration by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, where the verdict was cancelled because of contradictions in evidences of the main prosecution witness.
Author: Elena Kostenko Source: CK correspondent
