MOSCOW, August 6 (RAPSI, Alexei Afonsky) – The Moscow City Court on Thursday extended until September 21 the detention of Khasan Zakayev, the alleged mastermind of the hostage seizure at the Dubrovka theater in southeast Moscow in 2002 that left 130 dead has been completed, the court’s press office told RAPSI.
Attorney Igor Trunov earlier said that a criminal investigation against Zakayev had been completed. However, the Investigative Committee refuted this information.
Zakayev, a 41-year-old resident of Chechnya, stands charged with masterminding the terror attack, attempted murder by a group of persons and being a member of a criminal gang. The case against Zakayev is being considered separately, according to attorney Igor Trunov.
Zakayev faces life in prison if convicted.
He has been arrested while attempting to enter the Republic of Crimea using forged documents.
A group of terrorists led by Movsar Barayev took hostage the audience and participants of the Nord-Ost musical on October 23, 2002.
40 attackers were killed. Zakayev is the only one who was arrested, Trunov said earlier.
The majority of hostages were released in an operation planned by Russian security services.
Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev who was reportedly killed in 2006 and Gerikhan Dudayev who is still at large are among the organizers of the attack, according to investigators.