When asked whether ex-inmates engaged in terrorist activities, Mr Ivanov said - "Unfortunately, I have to confirm the information. I have talked to (US Defence Secretary) Donald Rumsfeld recently who also confirmed relevant occurrences." Mr Ivanov said the US administration had been pressurised to set free some of Guantanamo inmates.
"I will disclose a secret. The United States made it clear its readiness to release Guantanamo inmates was contingent on where the released prisoners would go. The US believes in some countries' ability to exert control and supervision over the ex-inmates, while it says some countries will not bother to do that. The Americans are absolutely right," said the minister.
Some of the Talibs released from Guantanamo base have resumed terrorist activities, according to Mr Ivanov.
"Two of them have been killed in Afghanistan in a Taliban group already. One of them led the Taliban movement in the Afghan province of Uruzgan. Another ex-Guantanamo prisoner was captured in Afghanistan again," said Mr Ivanov.
"We have to understand who we are dealing with. We can take a civilised approach based on international legal principles. However, we are witnessing the results of that approach," said Mr Ivanov.
Mr Ivanov said a Danish national released from Guantanamo base, for example, spoke on Denmark's national channel on September 29 saying he was set to go to Chechnya and to perpetrate terrorist attacks against Russia.
Several thousand inmates who were taken prisoner during the US-led operation in Afghanistan and suspected of links to terrorists were kept at the base.
