Chechen president defends suspect

Jonathan Gornall

• Last Updated: April 07. 2009 10:52AM UAE / April 7. 2009 6:52AM GMT

DUBAI // The president of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, launched an impassioned defence yesterday of the man wanted in connection with the murder of a former Chechen warlord and claimed one of two alleged accomplices arrested by Dubai Police was the man who looked after his racehorses in the UAE. On Sunday, police said they were holding Mahdi Lournia, an Iranian, and a Tajik, Makhsud-Jan.

Yesterday, Ramzan Kadyrov, said that at the time Sulim Yamadayev was murdered in a car park at Jumeirah Beach Residence, Mr Lournia “was at the races and was constantly on the phone with me”. In a statement on his website, Mr Kadyrov said: “My horse took fifth place at the World Cup. He also met my close relatives visiting the Emirates and escorted them to the airport.”

Now, he added, “no one is watching over the expensive racehorses. It’s unclear who should be held responsible for this.”

Police say Adam Delimkhanov, a first cousin of President Kadyrov, masterminded the murder. Mr Delimkhanov, said Mr Kadyrov, was “my close adviser, friend, brother and, moreover, my right-hand man. Any statements directed toward him I understand as directed against myself”.