March 01 , 2006
Alexander Koptsev, the man accused of stabbing worshippers in a Moscow synagogue in January, pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial at the Moscow City Court on Tuesday. Koptsev, 20, is accused of stabbing and wounding nine people. Asked by the trial judge if he pleaded guilty, Koptsev answered no, adding "that since the Criminal Code has been written by Jews and the Jewish Mafia I refuse to plead guilty". He then asked for TV cameramen to be removed from the courtroom, accusing them of links to a Jewish mafia of some kind. The judge accepted that it was the right of the defendant not to be filmed, and the cameramen left the court. If convicted, Koptsev faces up to 20 years in prison. According to the prosecution, the Koptsev had attempted to attack the synagogue on two previous occasions but only managed to enter the building on the third time.
