MAKHACHKALA,Dagestan — Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky testified at his trial Tuesday that his mysterious detention resulted from Russian officials’ anger at his reporting on the war in Chechnya.

"I assume that my position, my stories about the Chechen war were unwanted by many officials in Russia," Babitsky said. "Thank God those people who had plotted this entire circus … were not able to finish it."

The reporter for the U.S.-funded station was detained in Chechnya in January because he lacked a permit to report from the war zone. He resurfaced later in Makhachkala holding a fake Azeri passport. He is now being tried on charges that he willingly used the fake passport.

Aside from Babitsky's testimony, lawyers from both sides questioned witnesses on Tuesday.