Haji Mammadov: "I was unaware of the plan to kidnap Heydar Babayev's brother"

Adil Ismayilov, defence-lawyer for Zakir Nasirov, former head of the Crime Investigation Department addressed questions to Haji Mammadov. The lawyer asked about Zakir Nasirov's involvement in kidnapping of Zamira Hajiyeva, president of International Bank of Azerbaijan Jahangir Hajiyev's wife. Mammadov said Zakir Nasirov gave this task to him in his cabinet.

"He called me in November, 2004 to give this task. I wanted to refuse saying 'it is not easy to kidnap a woman' but he said it would be ok in two days," he said.

Mammadov added he met with Nasirov during one month, when Hajiyeva was held. "The first meeting took place one or two days before the murder of journalist Elmar Huseynov, and when we met for the second time the journalist had already been murdered."

Answering the question whether he was aware of the plan for kidnapping current Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev's brother Yashar Babayev, Haji said he did know Heydar Babayev and his brother Yashar Babayev.

"I was unaware of the plan for kidnapping Yashar Babayev. I did not testify about that," the defendant said.

Haji Mammadov also said he was twice interrogated by the Prosecutor's Office of Republic and chased by the National Security Ministry. "I felt in February that the Security Ministry was chasing me."

The court proceeding will continue on 28 August, APA reports.