Federal Judge Orders Russia to Return Religious Documents

A federal judge in Washington has sided against Russia in a dispute over the return of thousands of religious books, manuscripts and rabbinical teachings that remain overseas.

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/08/federal-judge-orders-russia-to-return-religious-documents.html

Russia refuses to turn over Jewish library to US

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g0itPTjtFtX9ZdUdnjGXmYWgWENgD9HHU3L00

MOSCOW — Russia has rejected a U.S. court ruling to turn over a Jewish library to a Hasidic group in New York.

A U.S. judge last week ruled against the Russian government for its refusal to return thousands of manuscripts that once belonged to a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi. The library was seized by Red Army in Nazi Germany as war booty.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said late Wednesday that the ruling is a "rude violation" of international law.

It said the library was nationalized because its owner, Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn, had no heirs. Schneersohn was forced to leave Russia in 1927.

The ministry said the library is available for scientific study and worship.

Chabad-Lubavich said it feared some manuscripts were headed to the black market.

Exactly as it should be. Why does the us govt. presume to think that they have the right to remove something from a foreign country if it was nationalized over the lack of heirs ?

This makes no sense to waste usa's time, courts or money !

Russia should do what they choose and apparently the choice was already made. What is so "important" about those documents that the usa is willing to waste usa tax dollars on ?

On Russian Land, it belongs to Russia and his people. :)