by Gordon Hahn

The Associated Press and other U.S. mainstream media have been reporting the arrest of former head of the Chechen government-in-exile by Polish authorities in recent days. Zakaev, who arrived in Warsaw for a congress of Chechens, was soon released and is not to be extradited to Russia.  Russian authorities want to try him for his activities as a separatist fighter and then a member of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (ChRI) insurgency which became a largely jihadist movement. This began in 2002 after the ChRI’s forces defeat on the traditional battlefield in the second Russo-Chechen war.  Specifically Zakhaev is charged with murder and organizing a revolt, among others.  Polish authorities stated that they decided not to extradite Zakaev because he had received political asylum in Great Britain.