STEPANAKERT, Dec. 27 (ArmenPress) - At the December 26 session on the case of the assassination attempt upon the Karabagh president, the court heard the testimonies of defendant Sasoun Aghajanian, charged with the preparation and direct execution of the assassination.

The court turned down the prosecution's suggestion concerning the interrogation of the defendant without the participation of Samvel Babayan accused of the organization of the crime. Aghajanian himself stated that he was ready to testify with Babayan present.

The defendant affirmed that while distributing the roles for the assassination's execution, he had been committed to shoot at the presidential car. Here he noted that he had forgotten who had given him the order, and that his aim was not to kill the president, but only to frighten him.

He asserted that he had not shot at the president himself, but at the car. The defendant assured that he did not remember the second direct executor of the terrorist act. He named Eric Pharamazian and David Ghulian to be his accomplices in the preparation of the attempt.

Aghajanian kept answering "I don't remember, I don't know" to all the following questions. He also stated that he was not fully acquainted with the materials of the criminal case. In this connection, the defense came up with a petition on giving extra time for it. However, the court rejected this petition due to its groundlessness, based on the fact that earlier the defendant had been repeatedly acquainted with the case materials, which was confirmed by him in written form.

The court decided to read out the testimonies of Aghajanian, given by him two days later after the terrorist act -- on March 25, 2000. These testimonies tell in detail the manner of the preparations for the assassination and the persons who participated in it. Aghajanian said that he did not remember anything concerning this question as well.

In the afternoon, the court proceeded with the reading of Aghajanian's testimonies given by him in the course of the preliminary investigation.

According to the interrogation protocol of April 3, 2000, Aghajanian fully admitted his guilt in the preparation and execution of the act of terrorism. In late January or early February (the defendant did not clearly remember), there took place a conversation in Babayan's Mercedes, during which Aghajanian (after his dismissal of the post of commander of a separate battalion) complained that the battalion had been disbanded and the people became unemployed.

S. Babayan answered that it was the president's fault and ordered to kill him. For this purpose, Aghajanian formed a group consisting of four persons, distributed roles and assigned himself and Levon Mirzoyan the direct execution of the assassination.

In February-early March, according to Aghajanian's testimonies given during the preliminary investigation, two failed attempts were undertaken upon the Karabagh president. On the night of March 23, Aghajanian and Mirzoyan fired on the presidential car to kill Arkady Ghukasian. After shooting several magazines, the terrorists escaped.

Aghajanian himself did not confirm these testimonies, referring to the fact that he did not remember anything. The trial is in progress.