Russian calls for extradition of Interpol suspect

Alexander Ignatenko was detained on New Year's Day while driving north from Zakopane, Poland's winter capital, in the direction of Krakow.

He had been placed on the international Interpol list of alleged criminals, and the arrest was made through cooperation between Zakopane police and Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW), the country's counter-intelligence bureau.

The suspect stands accused of masking an illegal gambling ring, as well as fraud and bribery.

An arrest warrant was originally issued on 13 July 2011 by a district court in Basmanny, Moscow, after Ignatenko vanished in May.

Russian authorities had initially speculated that the suspect was taking shelter in Ukraine or Belarus.

The Moscow correspondent of Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza claimed earlier this month that the Russian Attorney General's office was taking time to prepare the extradition request, as Ignatenko's testimony could besmirch a number of powerful Russian figures.

“Ignatenko will not get to Russia alive,” predicted Alexander Shestun, head of the Russia's Serpukhov district administration, in an interview with the paper.

On 4 January, a district court in Nowy Targ, southern Poland, ruled that Ignatenko should be placed in custody until 11 February.

The final decision on his extradition technically rests in the hands of Poland's Justice Minister, Jaroslaw Gowin. (nh/pg)

Source: IAR