Chechen Jailed For 12 Years For 1995 Raid

Shamil Basayev pictured during the Budyonnovsk raid in 1995 (AFP)

May 22, 2006 -- A Russian court has sentenced a Chechen militant to 12 years in prison over a hostage-taking raid in the southern Russian city of Budyonnovsk in 1995.

Nur-Magomed Khatuyev was arrested last year in Belarus.

More than 20 suspects have been convicted so far for involvement in the raid on the Budyonnovsk hospital by a group of militants led by separatist commander Shamil Basayev.

Nearly 150 people died in the incident.

(RIA Novosti, Interfax)