Danes are facing criticism in arrest of Chechen rebel

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Russia sought the extradition Thursday of a Chechen rebel envoy accused of planning last week's deadly hostage crisis, as the Danish government faced criticism for bowing to diplomatic pressure.

Akhmed Zakayev, a top aide of Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov, was arrested Wednesday in Copenhagen and jailed until Nov. 12 pending an investigation.

Zakayev, who often visited foreign capitals for informal consultations on the war in the breakaway Russian republic, was taken into custody just hours after the conclusion of a conference of Chechen rebels and human rights activists scheduled in the Danish capital.