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Russia Asks Saudi Arabia to Extradite Two Chechen Hijackers
Russia has asked Saudi Arabia to extradite two Chechens who last week hijacked a Moscow-bound Russian airliner from Istanbul and diverted it to Medina, the state prosecutor said Friday.
Mikhail Avdyukov said his office had sent a formal request to Riyadh for Yeriskhan Arsayev and Deni Magomerzayev, both of whom been charged in Russia with hijacking, Interfax reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the two mens extradition on March 17, when only Asayev had been identified as a Chechen.
But the Russian press has expressed doubts that the Saudis will comply with the request as the two countries do not have an extradition treaty.
Last Saturday, representatives for Chechen separatist President Aslan Maskhadov called on Riyadh to punish the hijackers according to Islamic Sharia law rather than extradite them. Maskhadov's administration has disowned the hijacking, saying they would never target innocent civilians.
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef Ben Abdel Aziz said the matter would be dealt with through diplomatic channels.
Three people were killed -- including one hijacker -- when Saudi forces stormed the plane at Medina airport on March 16, a day after the three men had seized control of the Vnukovo Airlines aircraft.
The three who died were Supian Arsayev, one of the hijackers, Russian flight attendant Yulia Fomina, 27, and Gursel Kambal, also 27, a Turkish construction worker.
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