Granting asylum to Ilyas Akhmadov in a country fighting terrorism looks strange

That the U.S. has granted political asylum to Ilyas Akhmadov, who is on the international wanted list, looks strange, Mikhail Margelov, head of the Federation Council (Upper House) international relations committee, told RIA.

"It is strange that a country that has suffered from terror and is waging an armed struggle against in jointly with Russia has granted political asylum to Ilyas Akhmadov, who is on the international wanted list," Margelov said.

The U.S. authorities have recalled their appeal to the Boston Immigration Court, which had granted asylum to Akhmadov, a Chechen terrorist leader. The this coincided in time with the publication of an order by Aslan Maskhadov (a separatist leader and former president of Chechnya-Ichkeria) on the appointment of Ilyas Akhmadov to the post of "Foreign Minister of Ichkeria." Mind you, this is taking place in conditions of Orange Alert, the one but highest terrorist attack alert level.

The committee chairman believes that "the New England Court has decided to follow in the footsteps of the British Themis, who had allowed Chechen terrorist Akhmed Zakayev to make himself at home in Britain; this put a shadow on Russo-British relations."

"Emotionally, the decision of the Boston Court will not strengthen the Russian people's belief in the objectivity of American justice," said Mikhail Margelov.