Britain requests Lugovoi extradition
Monday, 28 May 2007 18:08
Andrei Lugovoi now runs a private security company
The British embassy in Moscow has handed over its formal request for the extradition of Andrei Lugovoi, the suspected murderer of Alexander Litvinenko.
Mr Lugovoi was charged with the murder of the former Russian spy on Tuesday after the crown prosecution service (CPS) said it had sufficient evidence to mount a prosecution.
The 43-year-old former KGB security officer has strenuously denied any involvement, despite being present on the night Mr Litvinenko is believed to have received the dose of polonium 210.
Mr Litvinenko died from radiation poisoning thought to have been administered to him on November 1st at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair, London.
He claimed on his deathbed that the Russian government was responsible for his murder and since then relations between Russia and the UK have been strained by speculation that an assassination could have been carried out on British soil.
Mr Lugovoi has expressed hopes that clauses within the Russian constitution will protect him from British courts, allowing the Kremlin to reject the UK request.
With the director of public prosecution Sir Ken Macdonald calling for justice "for this extraordinarily grave crime" and attorney general Lord Goldsmith saying the prosecution "is in the public interest", observers say the diplomatic stakes are high as UK officials await Moscow's response.