MOSCOW, January 26 (RIA Novosti) - The Moscow Regional Court sentenced a Russian policeman Thursday to six years in jail on charges of negligence resulting in the deaths of 90 people in the 2004 terrorist bombings of two Russian planes.
The Domodedovo City Court sentenced Captain Mikhail Artamonov to the maximum sentence for negligence, seven years, because the defendant did not admit guilt. The regional court reduced the sentence by one year, ruling that the maximum penalty could not be applied on such a basis.
Artamonov was found guilty of releasing two women, who later turned out to be suicide bombers, without properly searching them at Moscow's Domodedovo International Airport on August 24, 2004. The two terrorists blew up two passenger airliners, a Tu-154 and a Tu-134, killing all aboard.
According to his lawyer, Artamonov intends to appeal the verdict to a higher court.
