Dagestan: father of Sharipova, Moscow metro suicide bomber, complains of his sons' persecution

Rasul Magomedov, a resident of Balakhany village, Untsukul District of Dagestan, father of Maryam Sharipova, who, according to investigatory bodies, blew herself up in Moscow metro on March 29, 2010, said that he was unaware of the course of investigation into the explosion and that his two sons were persecuted.

"Back in spring of 2010 I was questioned by Valery Khomitskiy, senior investigator for especially important cases of the Russian General Public Prosecutor. I answered all his questions, and at the end of the interrogation asked to give out my daughter's body in order to bury her according to Islamic canons, but the investigator preferred to escape the topic" Magomedov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

He added that investigators had conducted all the necessary inquiries. "Investigators confiscated the daughter's photos, her clothes, and took my wife's and my blood for DNA essay. This was the end of our contacts," said Magomedov.

He also stated that nowadays he is more concerned about harassment by local and federal law enforcers of his two sons - Anvar and Ilyas Sharipov.

"Immediately after the metro explosion, they started suspecting Anvar, who had to leave for Moscow because of persecution by Dagestani militiamen, of involvement in the Moscow bombings. His photos were sent to all departments of internal affairs, although Anvar had no relation to the explosions. For a long time they didn't leave him alone, so he left Russia. Nobody wants to seek the truth today; they preferred to make scapegoat from Anvar," said Magomedov.

He has also reported that his other son - Ilyas - also fears lawlessness of power agents. On March 7 last year my son addressed his open letter to the new president of Dagestan Magomedsalam Magomedov asking to protect him from militia's arbitrariness. Unending searches, planting weapons, arrests, beatings and imprisonment drove Ilyas into such condition that he fears to go out alone and refuses to have any contacts with the militia. The letter was soon answered that, as they said, the situation was under control; however, the persecution of my son and slandering by local media of our family continue," said Rasul Magomedov.

The press service of Dagestan refused to comment, saying that the case of Moscow metro explosions is run by the appropriate federal agencies.