Aug 08, 2006

East Turkestan: China and Russia Request Extradition of Five Persons from Albania


China has reiterated the request for extradition of five Uyghurs released from Guantanamo Bay and now in Albania, but this time Russia backed the request
China has reiterated the request for extradition of five Chinese Muslims released from Guantanamo Bay and now in Albania, but this time Russia backed the request. According to Albanian media, the request for extradition was sent from the session of the Organization for Central Asian Security. The call referred to Washington also, since Albania accepted those men upon USA's request. The five men -- from the largely Muslim Uighur minority that dominates China's far western Xinjiang region -- were released from U.S. military detention and sent to Albania where they have asked to be treated as refugees. In the meantime, however, one of the released detainees said that he and his compatriots would prefer to get back to their USA and reunite with their relatives, since they could hardly adjust in Albania. Tirana's refusal to extradite them strained Albania-China relations.