Investigators do not rule out that Musail Alaudinov could have been killed as a potential witness.
In Dagestan there have been new developments in the murder case of Mr. Mussail Alaudinov, a 38-year old well-known athlete and the director of the “Gorets”, a well-known martial arts club. He was murdered on July 9 outside Makhachkala, the regional capital. It emerged that he was closely connected with the former Makhachkala mayor, Mr. Said Amirov, now under arrest, and personally selected his best fighters for the Mayor’s security detail. The investigators do not rule out that Alaudinov knew too much about the shady activities of the official, and that’s why he was taken out as an important witness.
The Investigative Committee group working on that high-profile murder case has focused on Alaudinov’s acquaintances and connections.
“It has emerged that Mr. Alaudinov was a friend of Said Amirov’s family, in particular of his younger son, who was in charge of the Dagestan regional Bailiff Service. Many of those who trained at the “Gorets” martial arts club work for the same agency. Moreover, knowing about the “talents” of his trainees, the trainer personally recommended some of them for the Mayor’s security detail”, a source from the Investigative Committee regional office told “Izvestia”.
The investigators do not rule out that Alaudinov knew about many of the shadowy dealings of Makhachkala ex-Mayor Mr. Said Amirov and could provide some “sensitive” services to him. One theory is that Alaudinov could know too much and it cost him his life.
“The contract on the fighter could have been put out by Amirov’s close associates. He was removing a valuable witness, who could testify against the former Makhachkala Mayor,” the source explained.
That fact that the murder weapon was left at the scene next to the body suggests that it was a contract killing executed by a professional killer. Gang members who would commit similar one-time acts to intimidate local businessmen normally keep their guns.
The investigators are considering another possibility, also related to Amirov. After Amirov’s arrest his clan is rapidly losing its clout in Dagestan, in particular in Makhachkala. The local gangs started a turf war. Each of them is either trying to persuade the most influential of Amirov’s friends to take their side, or eliminate them as potential threats. Alaudinov could have fallen victim to that situation.
Musail Alaudinov was killed on July 9 outside Makhachkala on a road to the neighboring Caspiysk. He was on his way home when his Toyota Camry was ambushed. The killer, using a Kalashinikov, riddled the car with 27 bullets. The fighter was killed instantly.
According to Rasul Temirbekov, the spokesman for the regional Investigative Committee, criminal charges have been filed over the murder of the “Gorets” fight club.
Musail Alaudinov won a silver medal at a world combat sambo championship. He also won Russian pankration championship and is the mixed fight cup winner. He was also in charge of the Olympic Reserve youth school in Makhachkala.
Said Amirov, the ex-Mayor of Makhachkala, and his nephew Yusup Djaparov, a Deputy Mayor of Caspiysk, were arrested in Dagestan on June 1, as the result of a major special operation. Both of them are in custody in the high security “Lefortovo” jail in Moscow. Both have been charged under Article 295 of the Criminal Code (“Endangering life of a law enforcement official”). If found guilty they could face life in prison.