First trial session of Jundullah leader Rigi held

TEHRAN, May 29 (MNA) -- The first session of the trial of Jundullah terrorist group leader Abdolmalek Rigi was held in Tehran on Thursday.

Rigi was charged with 79 offences, including murder, terrorist activities, and other serious crimes. The prosecutors asked that Rigi be given the death penalty.

Some family members of victims of Rigi’s terrorist attacks attended the trial session and several gave testimony.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Rigi confessed to all the charges and said all of his crimes were against Islamic and humanitarian principles.

He added that his actions were based on ignorance, prejudice, and hate.

Rigi expressed deep remorse for committing such crimes and asked the family members of the victims of his group’s terrorist attacks to forgive him.

The Iranian security forces detained Abdolmalek Rigi on February 23 on board a flight from the United Arab Emirates to Kyrgyzstan. The plane landed at Bandar Abbas Airport, where Rigi and his aide were arrested.

On May 24, Iran executed Abdolhamid Rigi, the brother of Abdolmalek Rigi and the number two man in the Jundullah terrorist group, at a prison in Zahedan.

Until recently, Jundullah terrorists regularly crossed into Iran from their hideouts in neighboring Pakistan to attack civilians and police officers.