Moscow, Feb 29: In an apparent tit-for-tat to Qatar's arresting three Russian nationals, Russia has arrested two Qatari nationals in Moscow and charged them with having contacts with illegal armed groups in the country. The two Qataris were arrested yesterday, reported a news agency, quoting a source in Arab diplomatic circles. However, Qatar-based al-Jazeera television channel's Moscow bureau chief Akram Huzam told the agency that the Qatari Ambassador to Russia Mohammed al Qubeisi, in an interview with him, denied any knowledge of the alleged arrest of the Qatari nationals.
The agency said that it was unable to obtain any comments from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), which the Arab diplomatic source said had carried out the arrests. Meanwhile, a team of Russian lawyers is preparing to leave for Qatar to defend the two Russian intelligence agents, as Moscow and Doha were locked in a diplomatic row.
They were arrested by the Qatari authorities on February 19, on their alleged involvement in the killing of ex-Chechen President Yandarbiyev on February 13. ''At the moment, the group of lawyers is being formed,'' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov said, adding that Russia ''is making serious preparations for the defence of its citizens.''
The Qatari secret services arrested three Russian citizens, but one of them was released later as he had a diplomatic passport. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has strongly condemned the arrest of Russian citizens, denying their alleged involvement in the killing of Yandarbiyev, describing the Qatari act as a ''provocation.''
Bureau Report