Agents of Sepah Convicted of Spying

In the Baku Court of Grave Crimes chaired by Alovsat Abbasov a verdict was read on 22 persons accused of treason, espionage, and the commission of other crimes. The court, finding them guilty under articles 274 (high treason), 228 (illegal possession of weapons) and 234 (illegal possession of drugs), sentenced:

Niyazi Kerimov, Gamidaga Alekperov, and Elman Tagiyev - to 13 years in prison;

Taleh Rasulov, Rahim Gasimov, Mammadtagi Zakiev, Nusrat Jalilov, Jayhoon Habibov, Shahin Mammadov,Mubariz Aliyev, Bahram Gasimov,Araz Abbasov,Afghan Abbasov, Miralesker Agayev, Rovshan Zulfugarov, Seymour Gasimov, Elchin Kerimov and Zahid Mammadov - to 10 years in prison; 

Gulhuseyn Nuriyev - to 5 years of imprisonment, and 

Abulfat Zakiev, Asaf Faradzhev and Ali Bashirov - to three years in prison.

Turan was told by the cousin of convicted Niyazi Kerimov, one of the elders of the village of Nardaran Natig Karimov. According to him, the condemned people rejected accusations of treason and partially admitted guilt in other areas. Karimov said they would appeal.

* According to the investigation, a resident of Nardaran Niyazi Kerimov was recruited by a representative of the Revolutionary Guards Pakrvesh Akbar in 1999 in Mashhad. Kerimov was instructed to pick up a group of people to commit terrorist acts in Baku against citizens of the U.S., Israel and other Western countries.

Until 2011, Karimov repeatedly traveled to Iran, where he received instructions and money from members of Sepah. He recruited and brought to the relationship with the Iranians more than 15 people. This group went to Iran under the pretext of visiting religious sites.

In fact, representatives of the IRGC trained them to commit acts of terrorism, and a group of specially trained commandos in training camps near Tehran and Karaj.

The investigation established that the Iranians were planning attacks against the Israeli Jewish Agency organization, BP, American Fast Food Restaurant and foreign diplomatic missions. To this end, members of the group were transferred weapons and special equipment.

The arrested were seized several rifles, pistols of various models, a sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, ammunition, grenades, TNT blocks, and detonators.

The Ministry of National Security announced their arrest on 14 March 2012.   -03B06-