DUSHANBE, November 16, Asia-Plus - The trial of 11 alleged members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) charged with planning and organizing explosions in Dushanbe on January 31 and June 13 last year is continuing in the Supreme Court.

Judge Noor Noorov, who is taking in the trial, told Asia-Plus that the defendants face charges of killings, illegal possession of weapons, terrorism, organization of criminal grouping and other crimes.

According to him, the investigation has established that the defendants were involved in organizations of the blasts that took place outside of the building of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES) in Dushanbe on January 31 and June 13 last year. 

We will recall that a car bomb near the MoES on January 31 killed at least one person and injured four others.  On June 13 last year, a cart of the sort used to haul goods at local bazaars exploded outside the MoES building.  According to the Tajik law enforcement officials, the blasts were intended to sow panic and fear.  

According to Noorov, the defendants also face charge of having been involved in killing of two law enforcement officers.  Asadullo Mazoriyev, an investigator for the Ministry of Interior, and Sherali Saidov, an inspector with customs control at the Dushanbe airport, were found shot dead in Dushanbe on April 1 last year.  

They are also charged with killing of an officer of the Ministry of Defense and his female friend, according to the judge.   

The judge noted that one of the defendants is member of the Islam Revival Party (IRPT) Zikriyo Mansourov, resident of the Shahrinav district.  “A large amount of weapons intended for IMU members was found in the basement of his house,” Noorov said.   

According to the judge, of those defendants, only one – resident of the Uzbek region of Namangan Bakhtiyor Amonboyev – has confessed to a number of crimes committed in the territory of Tajikistan and admitted that he is member of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.