Chechen Emissary Zakayev Starts European Tour

Like Denmark and Great Britain, Germany is unlikely to extradite Zakayev to Russia
Aslan Maskhadov's emissary Ahmed Zakayev arrived in Germany with his authentic documents that Great Britain had issued upon granting him political asylum. Ahmed Zakayev said it in an interview to Echo Moskvy radio.

According to the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper, Zakayev's arrival in Germany is a sensation even though at first everybody doubted the information was reliable; the news was reported by Kavkaz, the website of Chechen terrorists with reference to Chechenpress, the rival of the website. Nevertheless, the newspaper found out that the information about Zakayev's arrival in Germany was true. The website of Chechen terrorists reported that "Ahmed Zakayev arrived in Germany upon invitation of German Bundestag Foreign Policy Vice-speaker Markus Meckel. He is supposed to appear in the German parliament and meet with Bundestag deputies and journalists. The public appearance and the meetings will concern the Chechen war."

Some Ekhard Maas organized the visit. It is known that the man is a former citizen of the German Democratic Republic married to a Georgian woman; the man hates Russia so much that he considers all Russians are FSB agents. Some time ago, Ekhard Maas became the leader of the German-Caucasian Society. According to the leader, main objective of the organization is "to maintain cultural contacts with Caucasus people, to popularize the art and the history of the mountain people." Meanwhile, the Interpol national central bureau at the RF Foreign Ministry has sent an inquiry to Germany concerning Zakayev's visit, RIA Novosti learnt from a source at the Interpol national bureau. The inquiry was sent immediately after mass media reported the Chechen emissary arrived in Germany, the source adds. "The RF Foreign Ministry wanted to know whether Ahmed Zakayev was actually in Germany at that time. If so, Germany must observe the international commitments and extradite people on the international wanted list to Russia."
 
RIA Novosti was told at the RF Prosecutor General's Office that Ahmed Zakayev was some time ago put on the international wanted list. It was Interpol that was to further solve the rest of the problems.

As based upon Russia's inquiries, Ahmed Zakayev has been already detained in Denmark and Great Britain. The man is accused of killings, terrorism and hostage taking. However, in both cases the courts of Denmark and Great Britain considered the arguments given by the Russian authorities unconvincing, and the Chechen emissary was released. Great Britain granted him political asylum. It is highly likely that Germany will not extradite him to Russia as well.

Ahmed Zakayev says: "The German Government has a formal reason to detain and arrest me, however they have all legal grounds not to do it and thus ignore the warrant of the international police." He added at that, he did not bring up the issue of personal immunity guarantees.