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| Suspect in Alexander Litvinenko killing pulls out of inquest citing bias | Suspect in Alexander Litvinenko killing pulls out of inquest citing bias |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The former KGB agent suspected in the London killing of Alexander Litvinenko said on Tuesday that he was cutting co-operation with a UK coroner's inquest after lashing out at the authorities over political bias. | The former KGB agent suspected in the London killing of Alexander Litvinenko said on Tuesday that he was cutting co-operation with a UK coroner's inquest after lashing out at the authorities over political bias. |
| "I have no hope of achieving justice in Great Britain," Andrei Lugovoi told a hastily called press conference in Moscow. "I have fully lost belief in the possibility of an impartial investigation of this case in England. I'm forced to say that I am leaving the coroner's investigation and will not participate in it." | "I have no hope of achieving justice in Great Britain," Andrei Lugovoi told a hastily called press conference in Moscow. "I have fully lost belief in the possibility of an impartial investigation of this case in England. I'm forced to say that I am leaving the coroner's investigation and will not participate in it." |
| Britain has named Lugovoi, and fellow former KGB agent Dmitry Kovtun, as chief suspects in the 2006 death of Litvinenko, a Kremlin critic who fled Russia for England in 2000. He died an excruciating death in hospital three weeks after drinking a cup of tea laced with the radioactive isotope polonium-2010 during a meeting with the two men in central London. Lugovoi and Kovtun have denied involvement. | Britain has named Lugovoi, and fellow former KGB agent Dmitry Kovtun, as chief suspects in the 2006 death of Litvinenko, a Kremlin critic who fled Russia for England in 2000. He died an excruciating death in hospital three weeks after drinking a cup of tea laced with the radioactive isotope polonium-2010 during a meeting with the two men in central London. Lugovoi and Kovtun have denied involvement. |
| Lugovoi's refusal to take part in the inquest is the latest in a long line of Russian refusals to co-operate with the UK investigation into Litvinenko's murder. Russia has denied UK requests to extradite Lugovoi for questioning. In 2007, he became an MP in the Russian duma, giving him immunity from prosecution. | Lugovoi's refusal to take part in the inquest is the latest in a long line of Russian refusals to co-operate with the UK investigation into Litvinenko's murder. Russia has denied UK requests to extradite Lugovoi for questioning. In 2007, he became an MP in the Russian duma, giving him immunity from prosecution. |
| Litvinenko, also a former Russian agent, became one of the loudest critics of Vladimir Putin after leaving the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB's main successor agency. He devoted the last years of his life to exposing what he said was the FSB's involvement in blowing up a series of apartment buildings around Russia that killed nearly 300 people and served as a catalyst for Putin's war in Chechnya. | Litvinenko, also a former Russian agent, became one of the loudest critics of Vladimir Putin after leaving the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB's main successor agency. He devoted the last years of his life to exposing what he said was the FSB's involvement in blowing up a series of apartment buildings around Russia that killed nearly 300 people and served as a catalyst for Putin's war in Chechnya. |
| Lugovoi denounced Litvinenko as insignificant: "Litvinenko wasn't Trotsky," he said, referring to the Russian revolutionary dramatically assassinated in Mexico on the orders of Josef Stalin. "Litvinenko wasn't a person of such a scale that the special services chased him around the world with an icepick in their hands." | Lugovoi denounced Litvinenko as insignificant: "Litvinenko wasn't Trotsky," he said, referring to the Russian revolutionary dramatically assassinated in Mexico on the orders of Josef Stalin. "Litvinenko wasn't a person of such a scale that the special services chased him around the world with an icepick in their hands." |
| Preliminary hearings before the inquest revealed Litvinenko was a paid agent for MI6 and the Spanish secret services at the time of his death, supplying intelligence on Russian state involvement in organised crime. Hugh Davies, counsel to the inquest, told a hearing in December that an assessment of government documents "does establish a prima facie case as to the culpability of the Russian state in the death of Alexander Litvinenko". | Preliminary hearings before the inquest revealed Litvinenko was a paid agent for MI6 and the Spanish secret services at the time of his death, supplying intelligence on Russian state involvement in organised crime. Hugh Davies, counsel to the inquest, told a hearing in December that an assessment of government documents "does establish a prima facie case as to the culpability of the Russian state in the death of Alexander Litvinenko". |
| Lugovoi said: "London detectives have rigidly polished the 'Kremlin's Hand' version of Litvinenko's murder. Other versions aren't considered. In the report, there is not one fact that confirms my guilt." | Lugovoi said: "London detectives have rigidly polished the 'Kremlin's Hand' version of Litvinenko's murder. Other versions aren't considered. In the report, there is not one fact that confirms my guilt." |
| Litvinenko's death, and Russia's refusal to co-operate in its investigation, led to a crisis in relations between London and Moscow. | Litvinenko's death, and Russia's refusal to co-operate in its investigation, led to a crisis in relations between London and Moscow. |
| The current government has tempered its criticism of the Kremlin, hoping to repair the bruised relationship by focusing on improving business and investment ties. | The current government has tempered its criticism of the Kremlin, hoping to repair the bruised relationship by focusing on improving business and investment ties. |
| William Hague, the foreign secretary, has sought to prevent the inquest from making public secret government files related to Litvinenko's death. Ben Emmerson QC, a lawyer for Litvinenko's widow, Marina, has accused Hague and David Cameron of seeking to "cover up" evidence of the Russian state's involvement. | William Hague, the foreign secretary, has sought to prevent the inquest from making public secret government files related to Litvinenko's death. Ben Emmerson QC, a lawyer for Litvinenko's widow, Marina, has accused Hague and David Cameron of seeking to "cover up" evidence of the Russian state's involvement. |
| It was unclear whether Hague would raise the case during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in London on Wednesday. | It was unclear whether Hague would raise the case during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in London on Wednesday. |
| Lugovoi criticised the inquest's decision to hold closed hearings: "How can you refute the charges if they are not disclosed?" He said his lawyers would no longer attend inquest hearings. | Lugovoi criticised the inquest's decision to hold closed hearings: "How can you refute the charges if they are not disclosed?" He said his lawyers would no longer attend inquest hearings. |
| A further hearing is scheduled for Thursday, when the coroner, Sir Robert Owen, will hear applications for witness anonymity and consider an inquest timetable. | A further hearing is scheduled for Thursday, when the coroner, Sir Robert Owen, will hear applications for witness anonymity and consider an inquest timetable. |
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