Russia blames U.S. for ignoring requests to extradite terrorists

Russia on Monday accused the United States of ignoring its requests to extradite two rebel warlords charged with terrorist plots.

"Russian Interior Ministry has been demanding the extradition of criminals from the U.S. for over ten years, but our U.S. colleagues ignore all official requests for some unclear reasons," spokesman Andrei Pilipchuk told reporters.

Moscow via the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) repeatedly asked Washington to extradite Ilias Akhmadov and Tamaz Nalbandov, wanted by Russia over terrorist charges.

"(U.S.) always positions itself as a front fighter against international terrorism. Meanwhile it harbors the very dangerous criminals," Pilipchuk said, adding the double standards policy was "unacceptable."

"Terrorism can be defeated only if it is countered jointly," he added.

The international arrest warrant on Akhmadov was issued in 2001 for plotting an armed mutiny in Russia's Northern Caucasus republic of Chechnya. Nalbandov has been in international search since 2002 for abduction and extortion in the North Ossetia republic.

According to the Russian Interior Ministry, Akhmadov and Nalbandov have been granted U.S. "green cards."