Russia Insists on Extradition of Detained Chechens

(Tbilisi, September 11, 2002, Civil Georgia) – Russian Foreign Ministry sent a note to Georgia demanding extradition of 13 Chechens, allegedly fighting against Russian Federal Troops in Chechnya, Russian news agencies report on September 11.

13 armed Chechens were detained by the Georgian border guards near the Chechen border on August 3-5. The court decided to keep all the 13 Chechens in the jail in Tbilisi for three months pending investigation.

The Georgian State Security Ministry charges them for illegal crossing of the state border and carrying of automatic weapons and explosives.