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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: March 21, 2006 |
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Prosecutors called Monday for a 16-year prison sentence and mandatory psychiatric treatment for the young man accused of attacking worshippers in a Moscow synagogue, Russian news agencies reported.
Alexander Koptsev, 20, allegedly stabbed and wounded nine men in January with a hunting knife inscribed with the saying, "Happy fishing, successful hunting." He has been charged with attempted murder, assault and actions aimed at humiliating ethnic or religious groups.
"In his testimony, the accused has practically confirmed the testimony given during the preliminary investigation: that the attack on the synagogue was planned and premeditated," the ITAR-Tass news agency quoted Moscow prosecutor Kira Gudim as telling the Moscow City Court on Monday.
Prosecutors say Koptsev was acting alone and that he does not belong to any extremist group. He was judged sane at the time of the attack, but a chronic schizophrenic condition had an impact on his actions, ITAR-Tass quoted the results of a medical examination as determining.
A million Jews live in Russia, according to the Federation of Jewish Communities, and the Jewish community now is experiencing a revival after a wave of emigration to Israel and other countries. Rising xenophobia in recent years has seen hundreds of racially motivated attacks on targets including dark-skinned immigrants from former Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus Mountains region.
Rights activists say hate groups are emboldened by authorities' mild approach to prosecuting hate crimes, and complain that literature from Nazis and other extremists is sold freely. |
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