MEMBER OF RADICAL GROUP GOING ON TRIAL TELLS INVESTIGATORS THAT HAJI GAMAT INTENDED TO COMMIT JIHAD IN AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency
Jan 7 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Hafiz Heydarov-APA. Hearing on the case of former officer of
Azerbaijani Army Kamran Asadov and 19 others was held in the Court
of Grave Crimes on Wednesday.

APA reports that judge Islam Neymanov presided over the process. One
of the defendants Hajibala Huseynov gave testimony. He spoke about
Akhund of Abu Bakr mosque Haji Gamat Suleymanov as well. He denied
his evidence giving to the investigators that Haji Gamat intended
to commit jihad in Azerbaijan and said that he belonged to salafi
sect. "He is not able to commit jihad in Azerbaijan".

The accused man said religious laws were not correctly observed in
Azerbaijan. Huseynov said they advocated for "jihad for defense" and
supported jihad declared in Chechnya against Russia. "Not depending
on the sects, we are also supporting the nagshbandi struggle".

When the judge told him "Then you are supporting Armenian actions
in Karabakh too", another accused man Ilkin Ismayilov answered
him. He said it was not correct to compare Armenian actions with
Chechens. Ismayilov spoke about Sheikh Shamil and said that he
struggled against Russia for long years for independence of Azerbaijan.

Then Huseynov developed his testimony and spoke about the activity
of former chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious
Associations Rafig Aliyev. He said they were satisfied with his
activity.

Huseynov said he delivered religious speeches before hundred people
in Mashtaga Village.

Kamran Asadov called Huseynov "kafir" (unbeliever) and said he was
against the rules he set once.

The trial will be continued in the afternoon.

Kamran Asadov, Bakhtiyar Orujov, Farid Jabbarov, Elshan Mammadov,
Kamran Babayev, Samir Mehbaliyev, Terlan Karimov, Edgar Aliyev,
Ramil Karimov, Shirvani Babayev, Samir Aliyev, Yalchin Maharramov,
Orkhan ALizadeh, Hajibala Huseynov, Azer Ibadov, Shahriyar Mehraliyev,
Ramin Jalilov, Rovshan Abdulaliyev, Ilkin Ismayilov and Vugar Aliyev
are accused of setting up a radical religious group, attempting to
start military struggle, attacking on LUKoil petrol station in Baku,
preparing terror attack on the U.S. and UK embassies in Azerbaijan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress