Russia seeking to have national released from Guantanamo Bay

Russia will be seeking the release of a Russian national being held at the United States' prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, authorities said Monday. Ravil Mingazov, 46, is the last of eight Russian to be held prisoner at Guantanamo, RIA Novosti reported. The other seven Russian detainees were transferred to Russia in 2004. The Russian Foreign Ministry's human rights envoy, Konstantin Dolgov, said he visited with Mingazov this month and has requested the United States return him to Russia. Mingazov, a former dancer in the Russian army who left Russia after converting to Islam, was arrested in Pakistan in 2002. U.S. authorities said Mingazov was allegedly staying at the home of suspected al-Qaida terrorist Abu Zubaydah at the time of his arrest and had undergone training to become a terrorist. He has been held at Guantanamo Bay since his arrest, but no charges have ever been filed against him, RIA Novosti said.