Interpol Helped Detain Chechen Militants' Emissary Zakayev in Denmark

The detainment of Chechen militants' emissary Ahmed Zakayev in Britain was to a great degree due to Interpol, acting head of the national central Interpol bureau in Russia at the interior ministry Sergei Pismensky told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

According to him, Interpol took an active part in preparing, together with the prosecutor general's office, documents which were requested by the Danish judicial powers for detaining Zakayev and beginning hearings on his extradition.

However, Pismensky added, in some cases, the norms of Interpol charter hamper the solution of the extradition issue. It often happens that the law-enforcement bodies of foreign states refuse to extradite a certain man to Russian authorities referring to article 3 of the Interpol charter.

"This article contains the imperative norm in compliance with which Interpol cannot persecute, along its channels, those persons whose rights are encroached upon on political and military motives in their own countries," Sergei Pismensky pointed out. According to him, "this article often "plays into the hands" of those who attempt to avoid punishment.