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| Chechen Strongman Ties Killing of Boris Nemtsov to Charlie Hebdo Cartoons | Chechen Strongman Ties Killing of Boris Nemtsov to Charlie Hebdo Cartoons |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MOSCOW — Ramzan A. Kadyrov, the leader of the troubled southern Russian republic of Chechnya, linked the shooting death of a Kremlin critic to the controversy over French cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad, but the victim’s colleagues expressed doubt on Monday. | |
| Mr. Kadyrov, writing on his Instagram account, said that he knew Zaur Dadayev, a former police officer charged in a Moscow court on Sunday in the killing, as a devout Muslim who had been shocked by the anti-Muslim cartoons of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and by those who supported their publication. | Mr. Kadyrov, writing on his Instagram account, said that he knew Zaur Dadayev, a former police officer charged in a Moscow court on Sunday in the killing, as a devout Muslim who had been shocked by the anti-Muslim cartoons of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and by those who supported their publication. |
| “Anyone who knows Zaur confirms that he is a deeply religious man, and that he, like all Muslims, was shocked by the actions of Charlie and comments in support of printing the cartoons,” wrote Mr. Kadyrov, who often uses Instagram to make public statements. | |
| The Chechen leader also described Mr. Dadayev as a “true patriot of Russia” who had been awarded several medals for bravery for his work in fighting Islamic insurgents. He had left the North Battalion, a unit of Interior Ministry troops in Chechnya, for reasons that Mr. Kadyrov said were unclear. | |
| The slain government critic, Boris Y. Nemtsov, 55, a former deputy prime minister turned opposition leader, was shot in the back four times within sight of the Kremlin walls on Feb. 27 by a man who fled in a car driven by an accomplice. | |
| Although Mr. Nemtsov had defended the publication of the French cartoons, his friends rejected that as a motivation for the killing, convinced that it was his harsh criticism of the Russian government that ultimately made him a target. He had also criticized Mr. Kadyrov, most recently for parading his own thousands-strong private militia in Chechnya and saying it could be put to any service for Russia. | Although Mr. Nemtsov had defended the publication of the French cartoons, his friends rejected that as a motivation for the killing, convinced that it was his harsh criticism of the Russian government that ultimately made him a target. He had also criticized Mr. Kadyrov, most recently for parading his own thousands-strong private militia in Chechnya and saying it could be put to any service for Russia. |
| “It sounds like our worst fears are confirmed,” Ilya Yashin, a political ally of Mr. Nemtsov’s, wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. “The fall guy will be called to account, while the real contractors of Nemtsov’s murder will remain at large.” | “It sounds like our worst fears are confirmed,” Ilya Yashin, a political ally of Mr. Nemtsov’s, wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. “The fall guy will be called to account, while the real contractors of Nemtsov’s murder will remain at large.” |
| Russia has been fighting the most recent Islamic insurgency in Chechnya since 1994. As president of the republic, Mr. Kadyrov has been given a free hand there by the Kremlin, and he runs it using a mix of Stalinism, Sufi Islam and Chechen nationalism. | Russia has been fighting the most recent Islamic insurgency in Chechnya since 1994. As president of the republic, Mr. Kadyrov has been given a free hand there by the Kremlin, and he runs it using a mix of Stalinism, Sufi Islam and Chechen nationalism. |
| Human rights groups have frequently criticized Mr. Kadyrov for violence against dissidents, including abductions and killings. | Human rights groups have frequently criticized Mr. Kadyrov for violence against dissidents, including abductions and killings. |
| Although a link to the Charlie Hebdo case was mentioned early as a possible motive for the killing of Mr. Nemtsov, his allies considered it unlikely. Three jihadists killed 17 people in Paris in January, including 12 members of the editorial staff of Charlie Hebdo. | Although a link to the Charlie Hebdo case was mentioned early as a possible motive for the killing of Mr. Nemtsov, his allies considered it unlikely. Three jihadists killed 17 people in Paris in January, including 12 members of the editorial staff of Charlie Hebdo. |
| Five men from the North Caucasus were jailed on Sunday in connection with the Nemtsov killing, with two charged in connection with the murder and the other three remanded into custody for two months pending further investigation. | Five men from the North Caucasus were jailed on Sunday in connection with the Nemtsov killing, with two charged in connection with the murder and the other three remanded into custody for two months pending further investigation. |
| State-run news agencies quoted Judge Nataliya Mushnikova of Basmanny District Court as saying that Mr. Dadayev had confessed to involvement in the killing and that other evidence confirmed his participation. Television cameras were allowed into the courtroom briefly, and the only thing they caught Mr. Dadayev saying from inside the defendant’s cage was, “I love the Prophet Muhammad.” | State-run news agencies quoted Judge Nataliya Mushnikova of Basmanny District Court as saying that Mr. Dadayev had confessed to involvement in the killing and that other evidence confirmed his participation. Television cameras were allowed into the courtroom briefly, and the only thing they caught Mr. Dadayev saying from inside the defendant’s cage was, “I love the Prophet Muhammad.” |
| Mr. Kadyrov wrote that Mr. Dadayev had served as the deputy battalion commander of the Interior Ministry troops, lauding him as “one of the most fearless and courageous troops of the regiment.” He had risen to the rank of lieutenant, the Chechen leader wrote, and had been awarded several medals for courage. Mr. Kadyrov said he had ordered an investigation into Mr. Dadayev’s background. | Mr. Kadyrov wrote that Mr. Dadayev had served as the deputy battalion commander of the Interior Ministry troops, lauding him as “one of the most fearless and courageous troops of the regiment.” He had risen to the rank of lieutenant, the Chechen leader wrote, and had been awarded several medals for courage. Mr. Kadyrov said he had ordered an investigation into Mr. Dadayev’s background. |
| The other man charged in the case on Sunday, Anzor Gubashev, pleaded not guilty. | The other man charged in the case on Sunday, Anzor Gubashev, pleaded not guilty. |
| Despite the court appearances and the high-profile law enforcement officers working on the case, neither the court nor senior officials have revealed a coherent picture of the case so far, including the roles played by the suspects or any official account of a possible motive. | Despite the court appearances and the high-profile law enforcement officers working on the case, neither the court nor senior officials have revealed a coherent picture of the case so far, including the roles played by the suspects or any official account of a possible motive. |
| The three other suspects who appeared in court on Sunday, accused of being accomplices, were Mr. Gubashev’s younger brother, Shagid, a truck driver; Khamzad Bakhaev; and Tamerlan Eskerkhanov, the official Tass news agency reported. All five were jailed for up to two months. | The three other suspects who appeared in court on Sunday, accused of being accomplices, were Mr. Gubashev’s younger brother, Shagid, a truck driver; Khamzad Bakhaev; and Tamerlan Eskerkhanov, the official Tass news agency reported. All five were jailed for up to two months. |
| The key question for Russians, shocked by a slaying in the very heart of Moscow, is who ordered the brazen assassination of Mr. Nemtsov. Since the shooting took place in one of the most heavily guarded districts in the capital, opposition figures have accused the government of complicity. | The key question for Russians, shocked by a slaying in the very heart of Moscow, is who ordered the brazen assassination of Mr. Nemtsov. Since the shooting took place in one of the most heavily guarded districts in the capital, opposition figures have accused the government of complicity. |
| The Kremlin denied the allegations and initially attributed the killing to “provocateurs” determined to make the government look bad. President Vladimir V. Putin later said it was politically motivated. | The Kremlin denied the allegations and initially attributed the killing to “provocateurs” determined to make the government look bad. President Vladimir V. Putin later said it was politically motivated. |
| Given the intense national interest in the case, the arrival of the men in court was broadcast on state television. Uniformed security agents wearing black balaclavas frog-marched the suspects, bent over and wearing handcuffs, into the courthouse. Security forces established a tight cordon around it. | Given the intense national interest in the case, the arrival of the men in court was broadcast on state television. Uniformed security agents wearing black balaclavas frog-marched the suspects, bent over and wearing handcuffs, into the courthouse. Security forces established a tight cordon around it. |
| A sixth suspect blew himself up with a hand grenade on Saturday night as the police closed in on his apartment in the southern city of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, the Interfax news agency reported. | A sixth suspect blew himself up with a hand grenade on Saturday night as the police closed in on his apartment in the southern city of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, the Interfax news agency reported. |
| Mr. Kadyrov, in his Instagram posting, seemed to refer to that incident, praising a man he named as Beslan Shavanov as a “brave warrior.” There were no details in the posting, except Mr. Kadyrov wrote that Mr. Shavanov had “perished the previous day during an attempt to detain him.” | Mr. Kadyrov, in his Instagram posting, seemed to refer to that incident, praising a man he named as Beslan Shavanov as a “brave warrior.” There were no details in the posting, except Mr. Kadyrov wrote that Mr. Shavanov had “perished the previous day during an attempt to detain him.” |
| Albert Barakhoev, the acting head of the Security Council in Ingushetia, the republic that borders Chechnya, was quoted by the state-run news agencies, Tass and RIA Novosti, as saying that all the other five arrests took place there. | Albert Barakhoev, the acting head of the Security Council in Ingushetia, the republic that borders Chechnya, was quoted by the state-run news agencies, Tass and RIA Novosti, as saying that all the other five arrests took place there. |
| The two main suspects, Mr. Dadayev and Mr. Gubashev, are between 30 and 35, he said, and have been in Moscow for years. Mr. Gubashev had worked for a private security company in Moscow as a guard in a superstore, Mr. Barakhoev said. | The two main suspects, Mr. Dadayev and Mr. Gubashev, are between 30 and 35, he said, and have been in Moscow for years. Mr. Gubashev had worked for a private security company in Moscow as a guard in a superstore, Mr. Barakhoev said. |
| Ajmani Dadayev, the mother of Mr. Dadayev, told state television that the two Gubashev brothers were her nephews. | Ajmani Dadayev, the mother of Mr. Dadayev, told state television that the two Gubashev brothers were her nephews. |
| The Interfax news agency, quoting an unidentified source, said the police had been able to trace the first two men through cellphone activity around the location of the killing and from DNA evidence found in the car suspected of having been used in the getaway. | The Interfax news agency, quoting an unidentified source, said the police had been able to trace the first two men through cellphone activity around the location of the killing and from DNA evidence found in the car suspected of having been used in the getaway. |
| There have been a series of high-profile murders of government critics in Russia over the past two decades in which the mastermind was never identified. | There have been a series of high-profile murders of government critics in Russia over the past two decades in which the mastermind was never identified. |
| Last June, for example, Moscow’s highest criminal court sentenced five men from the North Caucasus to prison for the 2006 murder of the investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a scathing critic of Kremlin policies in Chechnya and of Mr. Kadyrov. But her supporters say it remains undetermined who ordered her killing. | Last June, for example, Moscow’s highest criminal court sentenced five men from the North Caucasus to prison for the 2006 murder of the investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a scathing critic of Kremlin policies in Chechnya and of Mr. Kadyrov. But her supporters say it remains undetermined who ordered her killing. |