Suspect in Ülemiste Centre bombing remanded in custody
Harju County Court has decided that Artur Boiko, the suspect in an explosion that occurred in December at Ülemiste Centre in Tallinn, is to remain in custody until the trial begins.
Suspect in Ülemiste Centre bombing remanded in custody
Harju County Court remanded 61-year-old Artur Boiko in custody on Tuesday, who is accused of an explosion at Ülemiste Centre in Tallinn in December, in which one person was seriously injured. According to the court's press representative Viivika Siplane, the decision was supported by the gravity of the suspicions and the man's previous criminal record, according to ERR News.
According to the indictment, Boiko brought a homemade explosive device to Ülemiste Centre on the evening of 20 December and placed it in a waste bin opposite the cash registers of Rimi supermarket, after which he left the scene. Approximately one and a half hours later, the device detonated when a cleaner emptied the waste bin. The cleaner suffered serious injuries as a result of the explosion.
In addition to causing the explosion, the prosecutor accuses the man of illegal handling of large quantities of explosives and their components. Information from the Interior Ministry that a large amount of homemade explosives and, according to preliminary assessment, more than 60 homemade explosive devices were found at Boiko's home was confirmed by Andres Ratassepp, deputy director of the Internal Security Service.
More than 100 people were involved in investigating the incident, including officers from the Internal Security Service, the Police and Border Guard Board, 10 rescue workers, six bomb squad specialists and a police dog.
Boiko requested his release for the preliminary investigation period under electronic monitoring; the court will decide on this request after receiving an assessment from the conditional imprisonment service. The man also requested the termination of the appointment of a state-appointed lawyer, but other parties to the proceedings opposed this and the court rejected the request.
The next hearing is scheduled for 31 August, when the admissibility of civil claims, planning of court-appointed expert examination and further motions will be discussed. The prosecutor brought charges against Boiko in June for illegal handling of explosives, causing an explosion and attempted murder of another person with an explosive device.
Source: ERR News