"I think this case is exceptional in the whole post-independence period," Kęstutis Stungys, defending, said in his speech at Vilnius Regional Court.
He also reminded the court about President Dalia Grybauskaitė's statement about rotten law enforcement system in the country.
"I don't want to politicize here but I would like to say that there are results of actions of that system. The truth does not result from falsity," he said.
Stungys also said in his speech that, looking at the charges, Kusaitė's actions could be qualified as those of a combatant in the Russian-Chechen conflict.
"Terrorism is separated from military actions, explosions, and the difference has a special role. She wanted to take part in the Russian-Chechen conflict. There can be no other decision," the defense lawyer said.
Stungys also reminded the court of the fact that Lithuanian Linas Velavičius who was killed fighting for Chechnya's independence in 1995 "was recognized as a hero, brought back to Lithuania and buried."
"He was a combatant Kusaitė wanted to be. Why are they treated differently?" the lawyer said.
Stungys also noted that there's a square in Vilnius, named after Chechen President Dzhokhar Dudayev who led the first war against Russia.
Stngys believes there has been no legal basis to launch a pre-trial investigation against Kusaitė. He said reports by the State Security Department prove that Kusaitė was in the department's view since the age of 13.
"Such a pre-trial investigation is a mockery of a pre-trial investigation," the lawyer said.
The prosecutor wants Kusaitė to be sentenced to 10 years in prison. He believes it's a minimal punishment as the 23-year-old is accused of planning a terrorist attack against an object of strategic importance.
Prosecutor Mindaugas Dūda earlier told the court that Kusaitė downloaded a book on making explosives and later drafted an action plan and discussed travel arrangements with Russian-based Chechen Magmadov siblings. Based on the plan, upon her arrival in Moscow, Kusaitė would have been picked up by Apti Magmadov and taken to Chechnya where she would have visited terrorist organization Kavkaz Imirat and its members would have trained her for the role of a suicide bomber. Moreover, Kusaitė tried to recruit two other Lithuanian women to go to Moscow and act as suicide bombers in other terrorist acts.
Kusaitė was detained by officials of the State Security Department in October 2009 at Kaunas Bus Station.
Prosecutor Dūda rejected claims that the whole case was set up by the State Security Department (SSD). In his words, Kusaitė's mother and aunt did not turn to officers until then and the SSD had no information about Kusaitė and did not take any actions against her.
Kusaitė's accomplices brother and sister Apti and Aishat Magmadovs were sentenced to six and two years in prison respectively in Russia in December 2011.
Kusaitė claims she was lured into illegal activities by the SSD. She also claimed to have been subjected to physical and psychological violence.
