Britain to issue warrant over spy murder

LONDON – British authorities said yesterday that they are preparing to issue Russia with an extradition warrant for the man they say should be charged with the murder of former spy Alexander Litvinenko.

On Tuesday, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said there was enough evidence to charge Andrei Lugovoi, an ex-KGB agent, with the murder of Litvinenko, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, last November. Although frosty relations between Britain and Russia mean it is highly unlikely that Lugovoi will be extradited, officials are currently working on the warrant, which will be handed to Moscow within days.”It’s now at a stage where we’re putting the extradition warrant across in the next so many days and await the response,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman told AFP.”My understanding is that it will be handed over to the Russian authorities in Moscow,” she added, while stressing that the official doing so would be acting only as a “postman” because prosecutors were in charge.”Once the official request has gone across we will wait for an official response,” she said.A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that it was hoped the warrant would be issued “in days rather than weeks.”On Tuesday a CPS spokeswoman had said it could be issued as early as Wednesday.But the Foreign Office spokeswoman said she “cannot speculate” on what was happening behind the scenes with negotiations between Britain and Russia, while the Home Office was also keeping tight-lipped about details of the warrant.Prime Minister Tony Blair’s official spokesman stressed Tuesday that, despite economic and political ties between the two countries, London would not “in any way shy away” from ensuring that international law is followed in this case.Both Lugovoi and the Kremlin have denied any involvement in Litvinenko’s death, while the Russian foreign ministry said Tuesday that “The handover of Russian citizens to foreign states contradicts the Russian constitution.”Exiled businessman Boris Berezovsky, a close associate of Litvinenko, warned Wednesday that Lugovoi himself could be killed by those trying to cover up what he claims is Putin’s involvement in the death.Nampa-AFPAlthough frosty relations between Britain and Russia mean it is highly unlikely that Lugovoi will be extradited, officials are currently working on the warrant, which will be handed to Moscow within days.”It’s now at a stage where we’re putting the extradition warrant across in the next so many days and await the response,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman told AFP.”My understanding is that it will be handed over to the Russian authorities in Moscow,” she added, while stressing that the official doing so would be acting only as a “postman” because prosecutors were in charge.”Once the official request has gone across we will wait for an official response,” she said.A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that it was hoped the warrant would be issued “in days rather than weeks.”On Tuesday a CPS spokeswoman had said it could be issued as early as Wednesday.But the Foreign Office spokeswoman said she “cannot speculate” on what was happening behind the scenes with negotiations between Britain and Russia, while the Home Office was also keeping tight-lipped about details of the warrant.Prime Minister Tony Blair’s official spokesman stressed Tuesday that, despite economic and political ties between the two countries, London would not “in any way shy away” from ensuring that international law is followed in this case.Both Lugovoi and the Kremlin have denied any involvement in Litvinenko’s death, while the Russian foreign ministry said Tuesday that “The handover of Russian citizens to foreign states contradicts the Russian constitution.”Exiled businessman Boris Berezovsky, a close associate of Litvinenko, warned Wednesday that Lugovoi himself could be killed by those trying to cover up what he claims is Putin’s involvement in the death.Nampa-AFP