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British data on spy inaccurate: Russia

Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW: Russian prosecutors have turned the tables on British authorities, accusing them of a refusal to cooperate in investigating the murder of the former Russian security officer, Alexander Litvinenko, and twisting the case to serve political goals.

Deputy Prosecutor General Alexander Zvyagintsev said the British evidence against Russian businessman Andrei Lugovoy was so vague that it did not give grounds even to file a criminal case, let alone charge the man with poisoning Litvinenko with radiocative Polonium-210.

The materials lacked experts’ analysis and had numerous inconsistent and inaccurate data.

Britain has provided neither documents to Russia about the causes of Litvinenko’s death nor any evidence against the chief suspect, said Mr. Zvyagintsev at a press conference in Moscow on Monday.

He described the British position as “overambitious and arrogant”. Britain had expelled four Russian diplomats over Moscow’s refusal to extradite Mr. Lugovoy and suggested that Russia should change its Constitution to remove a ban on extradition of its nationals.

Britain’s reaction was “plainly groundless, inappropriate, unjustified and politically motivated,” said Mr. Zvyagintsev.

Russia has opened its own probe into Litvinenko’s death and is working on several theories, he said.

According to one theory, Litvinenko could have been murdered by someone “in his inner circle” — an obvious reference to fugitive Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky.

While British investigators were promptly allowed to come to Moscow to question Mr. Lugovoy, it took Britain three months to grant a Russian request to visit London, Mr. Zvyagintsev claimed.

Moscow is nevertheless prepared to assist the British side in every way.

“It doesn’t matter who commits the crime — some Ivanov or some Smith. If we have proof of his guilt, we’ll not hesitate to bring the case to a court and bring him to justice,” said the Russian official.

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