National Security Ministry issues statement on investigation on case of Samir Mehdiyev, one of the heads of Forest brothers armed group

Azerbaijan has filed six petitions to Georgian General Prosecutor’s Office for legal assistance, detention and extradition of the main actors of Elmar Huseynov’s murder Tahir Khubanov and Teymuraz Aliyev

Baku – APA. Samir Mehdiyev, one of the heads of the Forest brothers armed group, who had been wanted for terror attack on Juma mosque known as Abu Bakr on August 17, 2008 and hidden in other state, was detained in Islamic Republic of Pakistan basing on the information of the Ministry of National Security on January, 2010, was handed over to Azerbaijan on March 16. Public Affairs Center of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of National Security told APA that according to the information of the Center dating back to February 16, 2009, Samir Mehdiyev with the help of the members of 31-man “Sumgayit people” armed group, who are standing trial in Azerbaijani Court of Grave Crimes, contacted their leader Azer Misirkhanov in Georgia. Later, Samir Mehdiyev under the instructions of Azer Misirkhanov with the help of the members of the armed group illegally left for another country.

Samir Mehdiyev’s testimonies revealed that he had illegally crossed the territory of another country and hidden in Pakistan. It was found out that after the terror attack in Juma mosque Samir Mehdiyev contacted “representative” of “Dagestani people” aka Abdulsamad and under the instruction of the latter met with one of the members of “Sumgayit people” Jeyhun Aliyev aka Ibrahim. He contacted Rashid Mustafayev, Azer Misirkhanov’s assistant to secretly lead out Samir Mehdiyev from Azerbaijan. For some time members of the armed group hid Samir Mehdiyev in Sumgayit. Samir Mehdiyev kept 1 Makarov pistol and 2 full chargers, 1 RGD hand grenade, gave AKS-74U machine gun and 2 chargers to the member of the group Faig Jafarov. Under the instructions of Azer Misirkhanov, Samir Mehdiyev was taken to Tovuz region with the help of Faig Jafarov. Jafarov handed over Mehdiyev to Georgian citizen Ibadet Alazovi in Tovuz region. Alazovi brought Mehdiyev to Jandar simplified border checkpoint, distracted the attention of frontier guards and managed to help Mehdiyev to illegally cross Georgia’s territory.

Azer Misirkhanov and wanted Elnur Jafarov aka Subay met Mehdiyev in Georgia. They placed him in the house of the group member Rasim Tanriverdiyev in Garachop village, he lived for five months there. Later, Samir Mehdiyev with the help of Misirkhanov was acquainted with an unidentified person, pasted his photo on his passport and secretly crossed the territory of Turkey. Vugar Abdullayev was arrested by the officials of Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security.

The Ministry of National Security stated that all attempts against the security of the country will be prevented and persons committed illegal actions will be identified and brought to justice.

According to the statement made by the public relations center of the Ministry of National Security, as a result of the operations and investigation of the criminal case on journalist Elmar Huseynov’s murder, it has been proved that citizens of Georgia Tahir Khubanov and Teymuraz Aliyev participated in committing the murder. In May, 2005, search was initiated for them through Interpol. Azerbaijan has filed six petitions to Georgian General Prosecutor’s Office for legal assistance, detention and extradition of Tahir Khubanov and Teymuraz Aliyev.

APA