Washington/Chechen Terrorist Connection

[dutchdemocrat]

So... how do they fit this into the war on terrorism? Terrorists are cool as long as they on our 'side'? The United States and Britain would have loved to have had Russia's help in combatting al-Qaeda forces in Iraq and around the world - but yet they turn around and harbour terrorists?

The battle for Central Asia and all its resources continues.

Washington Backs Kremlin On Chechen Exile In America

In May, a judge in the United States granted political asylum to Ilyas Akhmadov, who served as the foreign minister of the separatist government of Chechnya until the Russian invasion of 1999. But the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), created after the 11 September attacks, has appealed that decision. Despite the fact that Akhmadov has been working for a negotiated settlement to the Chechen conflict, the DHS claims Akhmadov is a terrorist.

Washington, 2 July 2004 -- Akhmadov has many supporters in the United States, including current members of Congress and former secretaries of state.

But to the administration of President George W. Bush, the former opposition official is a terrorist and should be forced to leave the United States.

Bush's Department of Homeland Security has appealed a judge's decision to grant asylum to Akhmadov.

The appeal, at least indirectly, lends support to Russia's ongoing military campaign in Chechnya .....
___________

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/7/FE4B24C8-431D-49F2-AC37-D4EED56BDDC7.html

Chechen Separatist Granted Asylum in USA


Created: 06.08.2004 10:22 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 10:54 MSK

MosNews


Ilyas Akhmadov, one of Chechnya-s separatist leaders, has officially been granted asylum in the United States, RIA Novosti has learnt from the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya, co-chaired by former US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinskiand former US secretary of state Alexander Hague.

According to the committee, the decision on granting asylum to Akhmadov was taken by an immigration court in Boston, Massachusetts, which was immediately appealed by the US government. "The appeal has now been rejected and the decision on granting asylum is now final," the committee said.

The committee confirmed that not long ago Akhmadov was appointed to a post at the US non-governmental foundation National Endowment for Democracy and now plans to move to Washington for permanent residence and work.

National Endowment for Democracy confirmed that Akhmadov has been awarded a research grant under the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program and hence is entitled to monthly allowance, medical insurance as well as reimbursement of transportation costs.

In December last year Russian Foreign Ministry urged the US to take Russia-s position in consideration by examining Akhmadov-s application. ?The US side is informed about our attitude towards that terrorist accomplice,¬ the ministry-s spokesman Aleksandr Yakovenko told the press then.

Russian law enforcers claimed to have evidence of Akhmadov-s ties to Chechen separatist leaders Aslan Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev, who has been placed on the international wanted list. In the Aslan Maskhadov government Ilyas Akhmadov held the post of the foreign minister of the self-styled republic of Ichkeria.

The US administration refused to comment on the decision of the Boston court on granting asylum to Ilyas Akhmadov, saying it was a private matter.


http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/08/06/ilyas.shtml




MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

INFORMATION AND PRESS DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

On the Granting of Political Asylum to Ilyas Akhmadov by US Authorities

1763-06-08-2004


News of the coming into effect of the decision of Boston's immigration court on the granting of political asylum in the US to Ilyas Akhmadov, who calls himself "minister of foreign affairs of Ichkeria," has been received by the Russian MFA with profound disappointment. Nor can we fail to note that this outcome stems from the decision of the US Department of Homeland Security to recall the appeal filed earlier by it against the court's decision to grant Akhmadov political asylum.

We had repeatedly approached the US side with well-grounded demands for the extradition of this accomplice of international terrorists on the Russian law enforcement agencies' most wanted list. It has to be stated with regret that these requests were finally ignored.

In this connection we can only regard the decision to grant Akhmadov political asylum in the US as an obvious manifestation of double standards in questions of the fight against terrorism. Against this background, news of the receipt by Ilyas Akhmadov of a grant from the US Congress-financed National Endowment for Democracy sounds particularly cynical.

Such actions in no way correspond to either the partner spirit of the Russian-US relationship or the task of jointly countering international terrorism.


August 6, 2004


http://www.ln.mid.ru/brp_4.nsf/sps/...3256EE800499640

Washington/Chechen Terrorist Connection
Chechen terrorist spokesman, Akhmadov, was
in Washington DC for 'talks' at least TWICE !!

Russia: U.S. Confirms Talks With Akhmadov

By Lisa McAdams


Washington - A senior State Department official
yesterday confirmed U.S. officials would be talking
to Chechen official Ilyas Akhmadov during his visit
to Washington this week.

But State Department spokesman James Rubin, in
acknowledging the talks, stressed the discussions
planned were of a low-level, non-official nature and
would not in fact occur at the State Department.

Washington, 14 January 2000 (RFE/RL) -

- Ilyas Akhmadov is in Washington at the invitation of
the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies --
a branch of Johns Hopkins University -- and its
Central Asian and Caucasus Institute.

Briefing reporters at the State Department Thursday,
spokesman James Rubin said it was his understanding
that Akhmadov had requested to meet U.S. officials at
the State Department. Rubin said talks indeed were
planned, but he stressed that they were unofficial
talks which would occur outside the State Department."



_____________________________


Ivanov: U.S. supports terrorists


Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov accused the
United States of supporting "separatists and
terrorists" for allowing a Chechen representative to
visit the United States.

Ilyas Akhmadov, who acts as Chechnya's foreign
minister, arrived in Washington on January 11. Rubin
said Akhmadov will meet "desk-level officials from
several bureaus ... to discuss the conflict in
Chechnya, including humanitarian and refugee
concerns."

Rubin said Akhmadov was invited to the United States
by two outside organizations and that his presence
does not reflect a shift in U.S. policy.

"These discussions do not constitute a change in
policy or recognition of Chechnya in any way, shape or
form," Rubin said. "We continue to hold the view and
recognize Chechnya as a constituent part of the
Russian Federation."

But Ivanov said, "We have more than once announced
that this type of action implies support for
terrorists and separatists, and not only in Russia."


http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europ...ia.chechnya.01/


*****************************************


Tuesday, 27 March, 2001

12:41 GMT 13:41 UK

Russia fury at US-Chechen talks


Mr Akhmadov held a meeting with US State Department
officials

Russia sharply criticised Washington on Tuesday for
holding talks with a Chechen rebel envoy, despite a
series of car bombings over the weekend that killed at
least 23 people near Chechnya.

The meeting between US State Department officials and
Chechen envoy Ilyas Akhmadov was bitterly opposed by
Moscow which has warned repeatedly that it will have
negative consequences.

The US State Department made clear last week the
United States intended to meet with both sides in the
conflict.

During the meeting, the US side expressed the view
that the Chechen conflict cannot be resolved by
military means, the Russian news agency Interfax
reported.

'Immoral'

A statement by a State Department spokesman that Mr
Beyrle's talks with Mr Akhmadov took place outside the
state department's offices did nothing to mollify
Russian anger.

"Such a move on the part of a great civilised power
would look unnatural after the latest bloody crimes by
Chechen terrorists," the Russian foreign ministry said
in a statement.

"Washington's action can simply be described as
immoral," the statement said.

Foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said
that Washington's action would be seen as "unfriendly"
towards Russia.

The chairman of the State Duma foreign affairs
committee Dmitry Rogozin said there were now "solid
grounds to add the United States to those who
officially support terrorism".

Go to URL for entire article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wo...000/1245490.stm

_____________________________


"Published on Wednesday, March 28, 2001 in the Toronto
Globe & Mail

Cold War Reborn

Russia Assails U.S. as Tensions Grow

by Geoffrey York

Relations between the world's two nuclear superpowers
were plummeting to new depths yesterday as Moscow
attacked the United States as an "immoral" supporter
of terrorism.

The Kremlin was infuriated by Washington's decision to
dispatch a high-ranking official to meet a senior
Chechen rebel envoy just two days after a wave of
deadly car bombings for which Russia has blamed the
guerrillas.

The co-ordinated bombings killed 23 people and wounded
more than 130 in southern Russia near the boundary with
the renegade province.

By meeting with the Chechens, President George W. Bush's
new administration has shown "on what side it stands in the
international struggle against terrorism," the Russian Foreign
Ministry snapped yesterday.

"Such a step by a great civilized power would have looked
unnatural in the past," it said. "After the latest bloody crimes
of the Chechen terrorists, Washington's action seems simply
immoral."

Russia had warned of retaliation against Washington
if the meeting went ahead, but was ignored.

Analysts say the relationship between Moscow and Washington
has tumbled to its worst level since the Cold War, with increasingly
bellicose rhetoric on both sides."


http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0328-01.htm

[still_one]

1. bush is an idiot

another opportunity missed!!!

He has just alienated Russia

No appologies, even after 350 children were killed!!!