Six Tajik nationals have reportedly got lengthy jail terms for an attempt to blow up a minibus in Moscow suburb of Lyubertsy
In a ruling handed down on February 22, the Moscow Regional Military Court sentenced six nationals of Tajikistan to jail terms ranging from twelve to eighteen years, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
The sentence followed their conviction on charges of plotting a terrorist attack, illegal possession of explosives and participation in a terrorist group, Judge Igor Syomin was quoted as saying by Interfax. They will serve their terms in a high-security penal colony.
Four of the men pleaded guilty and two admitted their guilt partially, the judge said.
Investigation has reportedly established that the defendants were followers of radical Islam and were going to join the Islamic State (IS) terror group, which is banned in the Russian Federation.
As “an entrance ticket” they were offered to commit a terrorist attack. A prosecutor in the trial claimed that the defendants had decided to bomb a minibus in the Moscow suburb of Lyubertsy. They reportedly planned to set off a bomb inside a minibus in Lyubertsy in 2016.
The court's ruling was nearly identical to the prosecution's earlier demand for prison terms ranging from 12 to 16 years. The prosecutor reportedly also asked the court to fine each of the defendants 400,000 Russian rubles.
