Lugovoy alleges British involvement in Litvinenko killing

The Russian businessman whom Britain has named as a suspect in the killing of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko today said he had evidence of British special services’ involvement in the death.

“Even if (British special services) hadn’t done it itself, it was done under its control or connivance,” Andrei Lugovoy told a news conference in Moscow.

Later, asked if he had evidence for the allegation, he said “I have evidence” but did not elaborate.

He was not clear about what he regarded as British motivation, but suggested Mr Litvinenko may have been trying to blackmail another Kremlin critic, tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who was granted British citizenship. He said Mr Litvinenko may have held evidence that the tycoon received political asylum under false pretences. Russia has long sought Mr Berezovsky’s extradition to face charges of financial crimes, which Mr Berezovsky contends are politically motivated.

Mr Lugovoy alleged that Mr Berezovsky and Mr Litvinenko were working for MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence agency.

Mr Lugovoy also claimed that Britain had tried to recruit him to provide intelligence.

British special services “asked me to collect compromising information on President Putin,” Mr Lugovoy said.

Mr Lugovoy said the attempted recruitment occurred during business trips to Britain in previous years. He did not give a precise date, but indicated the alleged approach occurred in late 2005 or early 2006.

The Foreign Office declined comment on the recruitment attempt allegation.

Britain last week said it had enough evidence to charge Mr Lugovoy, who also worked for the KGB and its main successor agency the FSB, in the November killing of Mr Litvinenko, who died of poisoning by the rare radioactive isotope polonium-210.

Mr Litvinenko had fled to Britain several years earlier after becoming a strong critic of the Kremlin and received British citizenship. He co-wrote a book claiming that the FSB was behind the 1999 fatal apartment bombings that Russian officials blamed on Chechen separatists.

Mr Lugovoy and another Russian had met in London with Mr Litvinenko on November 1, the day Litvinenko said he became ill.

Britain has requested Mr Lugovoy’s extradition, but Russia has refused, saying the constitution does not permit such extraditions.

Mr Lugovoy has repeatedly asserted he is innocent in the matter.