Chechen separatist leader Zakayev arrested in Poland

“He was arrested by plain clothes police as he was leaving a building,” Mariusz Sokolowski told Polish television.

Speaking on Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that if the Chechen separatist leader were to be arrested, the courts might not agree to extradite him to Russia.

“The extradition procedure isn’t the same as extradition,” he told Polish media.

Polish Finance Minister Jan Rostowski said that even if the courts did grant extradition, the government could still intervene.

“I can’t imagine Zakayev would be handed to Russia. If a Polish court decides to extradite him, the justice minister’s agreement is still required,” he told Polish radio.

News of his detention was welcomed in Russia.

The head of the Duma’s (lower parliament) international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachev, said it showed that Poland was serious about its international obligations.

“I am sure that an absolutely unbiased and objective judicial inquiry concerning him would be carried out in Russia,” he said.