Assasination plotter on trial

RIGA - The Riga Regional Court is expected to rule tomorrow on whether or not to leave Vladimirs Lindermans in custody. The former leader of the Latvian branch of Russia's radical National Bolshevik Party is accused of calling to overthrow the Latvian government and for plotting the assassination of former president Vaira-Vike Freiberga.

Lindermans is also charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

In court today, prosecutor Irina Priede said she disagreed with the position of Linderman's lawyer who argued that it was unlawful to keep her client in custody.

Linderman's lawyer Jelena Kvjatkovska, meanwhile, told journalists that her client was put on an international list of wanted criminals in 2002,, which means that the prosecutor's request to leave Lindermans in detention was unlawful as well.

The legal representative added that Lindermans had provided comprehensive testimonies during the investigation.

The probe into Linderman's case was resumed on March 20, when Lindermans was finally extradited to Latvia after six year's of hiding.

Lindermans who used to head Uzvara (Victory), an organization outlawed in Latvia which served as the local branch of Russia's radical National Bolshevik Party, lived in Russia for several years and is one of the leaders of Russian National Bolsheviks.

Lindermans' Victory organization was folded in 2003 under a court ruling as being in breach with the organization articles. It was also found that the "organization's members categorically opposed Latvian government on the issues of foreign and domestic policy."

In 2003, Russian authorities refused to extradite Lindermans to Latvia saying that the extradition request was politically motivated. In 2005, the Moscow regional police again demanded his expulsion from Russia, but the court ruled against it. The following year Lindermans was again apprehended and the court ruled to hand him over to Latvia, but Lindermans managed to avoid deportation until now.

Tomorrow the court will reach a decision regarding Lindermans' custody.