February 17, 2005 - 21:05 AMT
AZERI CITIZEN SUSPECTED OF TERRORISM DETAINED IN RUSSIAN TYUMEN REGION
A citizen of Azerbaijan suspected of terrorism is detained in the Tyumen region of Russia. The detainee was in international search of the CIS countries for complicity to acts of terrorism and participation in illegal armed formations. The operation on detention was held February 15 by the officers of Tyumen Regional Department of the Federal Security Council of Russia. The suspect identity is not made known. The question of his extradition to Azerbaijan is not solved yet. Last year reports that terrorists use Azerbaijan as a base for acts of terrorism appeared in the press. Representative of the operative headquarters for direction of the counter-terrorism operation in the South Caucasus Ilya Shabalkin stated that Chechen fighters frequently go to Azerbaijan for treatment or rest. Shabalkin spoke after a fighter from Shamil Basayev's band was detained on his way from Russia to Azerbaijan. The National Security Ministry of Azerbaijan flatly denied the accusations in not being able to control the situation. Ministry representatives say that the operative situation in the country is fully controlled by the law-enforcement bodies.