Following Reingold, evidence is given by Bakayev. In reply to questions put to him by Comrade Vyshinsky he testifies before the Court how the preparations for these terroristic acts were carried on. Particularly intense terroristic activity was carried on in August 1932 and in the autumn of 1934. Bakayev mentions the names of those who took part in the preparation of terroristic acts. These were Reingold, Pickel, Faivilovich, Radin, and others.
Bakayev testifies before the Court how the terrorists of the Trotskyite-Zinovievite centre tried to destroy all clues and preserve secrecy. In the autumn of 1932 Zinoviev and Kamenev Were expelled from the Party. The question then arose: What to do next? Then Bakayev met Zinoviev, Evdokimov, Kuklin, Sharov, Dreitzer and others and it was resolved to suspend terroristic activities for a time. In the autumn of 1934 they were resumed.
Bakayev testifies that in October 1934 an attempt on the life of Stalin was organized in Moscow under the direction of Kamenev,Evdokimov and himself, in which he, Bakayev, took a direct part. The attempt failed. When the attempt failed Bakayev went to Kamenev and told him about it.
Continuing his testimony, Bakayev says: "Kamenev said: 'A pity, let's hope that next time we'll be more successful.' Then turning to Evdokimov he asked how things were in Leningrad. Evdokimov replied that it would he advisable to check up on the siuation in Leningrad and that Bakayev should be sent to Leningrad. Kamanev agreed - yes, he said, Bakayev absolutely must go. I agreed to go. Before my departure I asked Evdokimov whom I was to report to there and with whom I was to talk. Evdokimov replied that I was to report to Levin. I said that I did not know Levin's address as I had not seen him for many years. Evdokimov promised to arrange for Levin or Mandelstamm to meet me at the station. I went and was actually met at the station by Levin who said: 'So Gregory Evseyevich (Zinoviev) doesn't trust either Gerik, Kuklin or even Evdokimov, but sends people here to check up on our mood and our work. Well, we're not a proud lot' . . . I asked him to call the boys together. Shortly after, in addition to Levin and Mandelstamm, Sossitsky, Vladimir Rumyantsev, Kotolynov and Myasnikov gathered together in Levin's apartment. Kotolynov said that he had established a regular watch over Kirov and that Kirov was so well covered that there would be no difficulty in killing him. I asked to be introduced to one of those who had been assigned to commit terroristic acts..Levin asked Kotolynov to invite Leonid Nikolayev. I knew that Leonid Nikolayev was a member of the Leningrad organization. Levin said that Nikolayev was an old member of the Young Communist League whom Evdokimov had known for many years and whom he had given the best recommendation as an absolutely reliable person. Nikolayev gave me the impression of being a determined and convinced terrorist. He told me that he had succeeded in finding out the exact time when Kirov travelled from his apartment to the Smolny, that he could kill Kirov either near the Smolny or in the Smolny itself and that he had tried to get an appointment with Kirov so as to shoot him but had failed to get an appointment. Nikolayev further reported that he, together with two other terrorists, were keeping a watch on Kirov."
In his testimony Bakayev says that of all the activities of the terrorist centre he was only aware of the decision to assassinate Stalin and Kirov, and that he only learned of preparations having been made for other terroristic acts when he read the indictment.
Vyshinsky: Bakayev, is it correct that you were a member of the terrorist centre?
Bakayev: Yes, it is.
Vyshinsky: In 1932 you received instructions to organize the assassination of Comrade Stalin. Was that so?
Bakayev: Yes.
Vyshinsky: Did you take a number of practical measures to carry out these instructions, namely, to organize several attempts on the life of Comrade Stalin, which failed through no fault of yours?
Bakayev: That is so.
Vyshinsky: Besides, did you take part in the assassination of Comrade Kirov?
Bakayev: Yes.
Vyshinsky: Besides, did you go to Leningrad on the instructions of the terrorist centre, to check up on the preparations that were being made for this assassination?
Bakayev: Yes.
Vyshinsky: On your return from Leningrad, you reported that everything was in order, that the preparations for the murder were proceeding successfully. While you were in Leningrad did you meet Kotolynov, Rumyantsev and others?
Bakayev: Yes.
Vyshinsky: In addition, did you meet Nikolayev, give him instructions about the assassination and convince yourself that Nikolayev was a man of determination and could carry out the instructions given?
Bakayev: yes.
Questioned further, however, Bakayev tried to minimize the part he had played considering that he was merely a "co-organizer" of the preparations for the foul murder of Comrade S. M. Kirov.
Vyshinsky: You gave the signals, you checked up on the time, you checked up on all that was being done at your signal, you perpetrated a deed - doesn't that mean being the organizer of the crime?
Bakayev: Yes, that means being the organizer of the crime.
Vyshinsky: So we are correct in saying that you were the organizer of the assassination of Kirov?
Bakayev: Well, yes, but I was not the only one.
Vyshinsky: You were not the only one, Evdokimov was with you. Accused Zinoviev, you too were an organizer of the assassination of Comrade Kirov, weren't you?
Zinoviev: I think Bakayev is right when he says that the real and principal culprits of the foul murder of Kirov were myself, Trotsky and Kamenev who organized the united terrorist centre. Bakayev played an important, but not the decisive part in it.
Vyshinsky: The decisive part was played by you, Trotsky and Kamenev. Accused Kamenev, do you associate yourself with Zinoviev's statement that the principal organizers were you, Trotsky and Zinoviev, and that Bakayev, played the part of a practical organizer?
Kamenev: Yes.