Dagestan Sheikh Killed in Terror Attack

A Sufi spiritual leader in Dagestan, Sheikh Said Afandi, and five others were killed in a blast carried out by a female suicide bomber in the Dagestan settlement of Chirkey, a spokesman for the regional Investigation Committee said on Tuesday. The female terrorist was disguised as a pilgrim. According to preliminary information, the terrorist was a 30-year-old Russian woman, formerly an actress, who converted to Islam. She was a wife of an Islamic militant. Her three previous husbands, also Islamic militants, had been killed.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20120828/175482453.html
http://kommersant.ru/doc/2010926

Russia Submits Bout Extradition Documents to U.S.

Russia has handed to the United States documents required to consider the extradition of convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, the Russian Justice Ministry said on Thursday. Earlier, Bout’s wife Alla addressed a message to the ministry asking for her husband to be transferred to Russia to serve his sentence at home. A former Soviet military officer, Bout was found guilty of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, including military officers and employees, conspiring to use anti-aircraft missiles, and selling millions of dollars’ worth of weapons to the Colombian rebel group FARC. The businessman, who denies the charges against him, was sentenced to 25 years in April. Attorney General Eric Holder has said the United States may consider Bout’s extradition to Russia if it receives a request from the Russian authorities. Article 6 of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons stipulates that the sentencing state (in this case, the U.S.) provide to the administering state (Russia) a certified copy of the judgment and the law on which it is based.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20120823/175388646.html

Ukraine Wraps up Investigation of Putin Assassination Attempt

Ukraine has finished investigating the criminal case against Kazakhstan national Ilya Pyanzin and Chechen Adam Osmayev, the individuals suspected of planning the assassination of Russia's leading politicians, including then-Prime Minister and current President, Vladimir Putin.  Russia will most likely seek to extradite the suspects via the Prosecutor General's Office after the Ukrainian court has passed judgment on them. If the suspects are sentenced to prison, Russia will probably push for them to serve their terms first in Ukraine and to then serve further punishment in Russia. The media reports that the suspects planned to assassinate Putin after the March 4 presidential elections. Pyanzin and Osmayev were arrested in Ukraine, where they were charged with planning an act of terrorism and being members of a terrorist group.

http://www.rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20120724/263902471.html

Russian Bill Would Fine "Extremist" Internet Postings

The text of an amendment to the Russian Administrative Code (posted on the Communications Ministry's website) proposes fining persons who post internet links on materials deemed to be "extremist", and closing mass media outlets that commit such offenses.  The amendment proposes that those who post links on extremist texts, broadcasts or videos should be fined from 2,000 – 5,000 rubles (approximately $60 – $150) if they act as private persons and 50,000-10,000 rubles (about $1,500 – $3,000) for legal entities (i.e., mass media, who could also be shut down by local courts for an extended period of time).  The list of forbidden materials consists of works that are recognized as extremist by any district court throughout the Russian Federation. At present, there are 1256 works on the list, though it could grow further.  There are currently only two centers in Russia that can check internet posts for extremism. However, this past March, the then-serving Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev promised to open a network of special centers throughout the country specifically for this purpose.
http://rt.com/politics/russia-posting-internet-links-652/