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| Russian faces Litvinenko charge | Russian faces Litvinenko charge |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Russian former KGB officer should be charged with the murder by poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, the UK's director of public prosecutions has recommended. | A Russian former KGB officer should be charged with the murder by poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, the UK's director of public prosecutions has recommended. |
| Sir Ken Macdonald said Andrei Lugovoi should be tried for the "grave crime". | Sir Ken Macdonald said Andrei Lugovoi should be tried for the "grave crime". |
| Mr Litvinenko, 43, an ex-FSB agent and a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in London last November. | Mr Litvinenko, 43, an ex-FSB agent and a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in London last November. |
| Mr Lugovoi denied any involvement and said the charges against him were "politically motivated"; the Kremlin said he would not be extradited. | |
| 'Well-founded distrust' | 'Well-founded distrust' |
| "I consider that this decision to be political, I did not kill Litvinenko, I have no relation to his death and I can only express well-founded distrust for the so-called basis of proof collected by British judicial officials," agencies quoted Mr Lugovoi as saying. | |
| A spokesman for the Kremlin said Russia's constitution did not allow its nationals to be extradited. | A spokesman for the Kremlin said Russia's constitution did not allow its nationals to be extradited. |
| Andrei Lugovoi has strongly denied involvement Profile of accused | Andrei Lugovoi has strongly denied involvement Profile of accused |
| The spokesman added it was waiting for the "British side to actually do something rather than make statements". | The spokesman added it was waiting for the "British side to actually do something rather than make statements". |
| The Russian general prosecution service also said there was "no way" Mr Lugovoi could be extradited because of constitutional constraints. | The Russian general prosecution service also said there was "no way" Mr Lugovoi could be extradited because of constitutional constraints. |
| But the service's spokesman added that a Russian citizen who had committed a crime in another country "should be prosecuted in Russia with evidence provided by the foreign state". | But the service's spokesman added that a Russian citizen who had committed a crime in another country "should be prosecuted in Russia with evidence provided by the foreign state". |
| Earlier UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she had told the Russian ambassador that she expected "full co-operation" with regards extraditing Mr Lugovoi. | Earlier UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she had told the Russian ambassador that she expected "full co-operation" with regards extraditing Mr Lugovoi. |
| The decision to prosecute was arrived at by the Crown Prosecution Service after consultation with Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, who advises the government on legal issues. | The decision to prosecute was arrived at by the Crown Prosecution Service after consultation with Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, who advises the government on legal issues. |
| 'Public interest' | 'Public interest' |
| Mr Litvinenko, who was granted political asylum in the UK in 2000 after leaving Russia and went on to take British citizenship, died at University College Hospital on 23 November. | Mr Litvinenko, who was granted political asylum in the UK in 2000 after leaving Russia and went on to take British citizenship, died at University College Hospital on 23 November. |
| He had been exposed to the radioactive isotope polonium-210. | He had been exposed to the radioactive isotope polonium-210. |
| I have instructed CPS lawyers to take immediate steps to seek the early extradition of Andrei Lugovoi from Russia Sir Ken Macdonald CPS statement on Litvinenko | I have instructed CPS lawyers to take immediate steps to seek the early extradition of Andrei Lugovoi from Russia Sir Ken Macdonald CPS statement on Litvinenko |
| Sir Ken told a news conference: "I have today concluded that the evidence sent to us by the police is sufficient to charge Andrei Lugovoi with the murder of Mr Litvinenko by deliberate poisoning. | Sir Ken told a news conference: "I have today concluded that the evidence sent to us by the police is sufficient to charge Andrei Lugovoi with the murder of Mr Litvinenko by deliberate poisoning. |
| "I have further concluded that a prosecution of this case would clearly be in the public interest. | "I have further concluded that a prosecution of this case would clearly be in the public interest. |
| "In those circumstances, I have instructed CPS lawyers to take immediate steps to seek the early extradition of Andrei Lugovoi from Russia to the United Kingdom, so that he may be charged with murder - and be brought swiftly before a court in London to be prosecuted for this extraordinarily grave crime." | "In those circumstances, I have instructed CPS lawyers to take immediate steps to seek the early extradition of Andrei Lugovoi from Russia to the United Kingdom, so that he may be charged with murder - and be brought swiftly before a court in London to be prosecuted for this extraordinarily grave crime." |
| International investigation | International investigation |
| Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina said that she welcomed the decision on what was a "big day" for her. | Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina said that she welcomed the decision on what was a "big day" for her. |
| She said: "I am now very anxious to see that justice is really done and that Mr Lugovoi is extradited and brought to trial in a UK court." | She said: "I am now very anxious to see that justice is really done and that Mr Lugovoi is extradited and brought to trial in a UK court." |
| A period of tense relations between Britain and Russia is expected Paul ReynoldsWorld affairs correspondent, BBC News website 'Stand-off' over spy case | A period of tense relations between Britain and Russia is expected Paul ReynoldsWorld affairs correspondent, BBC News website 'Stand-off' over spy case |
| She added that any court case should be held in Britain, and that she believed more than one person was responsible for her husband's death. | She added that any court case should be held in Britain, and that she believed more than one person was responsible for her husband's death. |
| The counter-terrorism command of the Metropolitan Police has been conducting a detailed international investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death. The police inquiry, during which officers followed a trail of polonium radioactivity at a series of locations visited by Mr Litvinenko in London before he died, eventually took them to Moscow. | The counter-terrorism command of the Metropolitan Police has been conducting a detailed international investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death. The police inquiry, during which officers followed a trail of polonium radioactivity at a series of locations visited by Mr Litvinenko in London before he died, eventually took them to Moscow. |
| His friends, including London-based Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, have accused the Kremlin of ordering his assassination but the Russian government has rejected such claims. | His friends, including London-based Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, have accused the Kremlin of ordering his assassination but the Russian government has rejected such claims. |
| Police passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service in January. | Police passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service in January. |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary had met with the Russian ambassador to "underline that they should comply with the extradition request". | Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary had met with the Russian ambassador to "underline that they should comply with the extradition request". |
| He added the government has "left nobody in any doubt at all as to the seriousness with which we view this case". | He added the government has "left nobody in any doubt at all as to the seriousness with which we view this case". |