Russian death probe 'not trusted'

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Family and friends of Alexander Litvinenko are unlikely to help a Russian investigation into his death, says a friend of the former KGB agent.

Alex Goldfarb said they did not "trust" a Russian investigation and would help only if they were given assurances by British authorities about their safety.

His comments came as it emerged that Russian investigators are to travel to London to question witnesses.

Mr Litvinenko's widow earlier said she would not aid the Russian inquiry.

Mr Litvinenko, 43, died in a London hospital on 23 November - it is suspected he was poisoned by the radioactive substance polonum-210.

Moscow's prosecutor general's office said there were plans to send officials to Britain but was unable to confirm who they would question and when.

'Conditions' needed

Mr Goldfarb said he had spoken to Mr Litvinenko's widow, Marina, as well as exiled billionaire Boris Berezovsky and Chechen dissident Akhmed Zakayev, about the investigation

"None of them trust a Russian investigation," he said.

"They will only talk to the Russians in London if the British request that they do it or to help the British get access to witnesses. Then they will agree to talk to them."

He added there would be conditions, including that any meeting should not be in the Russian embassy and that there should be police protection.

"The second [condition] is that the British should give assurances that the Russian investigators have been screened for any kind of possible poisoning," Mr Goldfarb said.

A team of nine Scotland Yard counter-terrorism detectives are currently in Russia to investigate Mr Litvinenko's death.

Mr Goldfarb said he feared they were being obstructed by Russian authorities who were "shielding" two "key witnesses".

Mrs Litvinenko, 44, has said she believes the Russian authorities could have been behind her husband's murder.

Mr Litvinenko died in a London hospital

She told the Mail on Sunday: "Obviously it was not Putin himself, of course not."

But she added what President Putin "does around him in Russia makes it possible to kill a British person" in Britain.

She said she had confidence UK police would find her husband's killer, but she would not help Russia's planned probe.

"I can't believe that they will tell the truth. I can't believe if they ask about evidence they will use it in the proper way," she said.

Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Russian government since defecting to the UK, but the Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way.

Russia's foreign intelligence service has also issued a statement denying any involvement.

Also on Sunday, the Metropolitan Police said two of the 26 police officers closely involved in the inquiry in London had tested positive for traces of polonium-210.

It said the traces were "relatively small" and were "below defined safety limits". Both officers are being monitored by health specialists.