MOSCOW, January 18 - RAPSI. A witness in the case of so-called Autonomous Fighting Terrorist Organization, whose members are charged with carrying out several explosions and arsons, stated in court that he had seen the suspects making bombs using empty tins, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reports from the courtroom.

According to case materials eight Moscow residents headed by student Ivan Astashin nicknamed Spider set up a nationalist terrorist organization. Investigators hold that its members performed eight terrorist acts against law enforcement authorities and Caucasians in 2009 and early 2010.

They exploded cars owned by Caucasian people and police stations. Investigators believe that Astashin was a mastermind of the group and used his knowledge in chemistry to make bombs.

At the first hearing eight suspects agreed with the facts set forth in the indictment, but disagreed with declaring their offences terrorism. "We acted not to change the constitutional system, but had hooligan motives. I was not a member of any organization," one of the suspects said.

The prosecution believes Spider was the organizer and ideologist. His ideology was based on the alleged supremacy of Russians over other ethnic groups and he propagated radical nationalism.