Posted on 08/06/2004 2:40:53 PM PDT by A. Pole
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.
If you harbor terrorists...
The Bush administration decided that Akhmadov had no connection to terrorism and dropped the appeal. Doesn't much matter who the immigration judge was.
"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."
sorrow over Chechen atrocities and NOW over this.
This is ... terrible! This is how the US shows its disgust at the Chechen atrocities and that such actions are totally unacceptable?
you can say that again. in fact, we're all saying it with you.
Especially since I got here via a link from THIS THREAD
Not US officials. Didn't you read the piece? The feds protested and appealed. Yet another corrupt judge finalized the deal. I can't believe that's the end of it. This is a Russian paper after all.
sick, sick, sick decision.
Actually, the administration decided to drop the appeal after determining that the guy wasn't a threat.
I read it. I consider a U.S. judge an official (loosely).
>>>>>Zbig was in the Carter Administration. (The same ones who shut down the Shah and gave us 4the Ayatollah).<<<<
Zbig gave us Ossama Bin Laden as well.
It is interesting to see the so-called liberal utopians allied with religious fundamentalists, when they claim that religious fundamentalists are their mortal enemies.
His only crime is being a member of the elected government of Chechnya from 1996-9. That is why Moscow considers him a "terrorist". And George III considered George Washington a "terrorist" too. And Lloyd George considered Michael Collins in Ireland to be a "terrorist" aswell.
Well done to the US for giving him asylum. There is no evidence of his links to terror attacks. The Chechen cause is just, and while a minority of the separatists kill innocent people, the majority don't. The Russians killed 300,000 Chechen civilians and sent them to death camps. But we don't get the hysteria about this "terrorism", from Western leaders do we? The hypocrisy is galling.
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