Belarus bomb trial starts: two men in dock

15/09/11 14:34 CET

world news

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Two men have gone on trial for their lives in Belarus accused of a deadly bomb attack on the underground system in the capital Minsk.

Dmitri Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalev, both aged 25, are charged with terrorism offences after 15 people were killed in an explosion at a tube station near the office of President Alexander Lukashenko.

More than 200 people were injured in the blast in April this year.

Authorities say the two defendants were arrested shortly afterwards. They were subsequently charged with two earlier explosions dating back to 2005.

Investigators say the April attack was without political motivation. President Lukashenko, who has been in power for 17 years, said the explosion was the result of excessive democracy.

More about: Alexander Lukashenko, Attack, Belarus, Terrorism, Trial

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Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

Two Rebel groups have agreed to merge and create an independent Islamic state in Northern Mali. After seizing Azawad – an area larger than France – two months ago, the groups had initially disagreed, with the secular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)…