Litvinenko Suspect to Run for Parliament

[nivi]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g_AQtStylcuOJOd51kGrkdv-1P4w

MOSCOW (AP) — The sole suspect in the radiation poisoning death of Kremlin foe Alexander Litvinenko has been nominated to run for parliament on a pro-Kremlin ultranationalist party's ticket, its leader said Sunday.

Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky said that Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB officer whom Britain has identified as the main suspect in last year's murder in London of Litvinenko, would be No.2 on the party's list in December's parliamentary elections, the Interfax news agency reported.

Zhirinovsky, a flamboyant politician who heeds Kremlin's orders, dismissed British charges against Lugovoi as "an attempt to organize provocations against our citizens," Interfax said.

Lugovoi refused immediate comment, saying he would talk about the issue after the party's congress Monday.

Litvinenko, a former KGB officer with asylum in Britain died Nov. 23 in a London hospital after ingesting radioactive polonium-210. In a deathbed statement, he accused Putin of being behind his killing — the charges the Kremlin has fiercely denied.

Litvinenko said he first felt ill Nov. 1, the day he met with Lugovoi and two other Russians at a London hotel bar.

Russia has rejected Britain's request for Lugovoi's extradition, saying its constitution forbids it. Tensions over the Litvinenko case have badly hurt bilateral ties, and the two nations recently announced tit-for-tat diplomat expulsions.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has dismissed British demands for Lugovoi's extradition as a vestige of British "colonial thinking."

If he gets elected, he can't be prosecuted, convenient, ain't it?

 

[bhsup]

Oh, I am sure the UK could prosecute him if, somehow mysteriously, he was found outside Scotland Yard HQ hogtied with a bow around his body. Just have the SAS nab him and never admit to knowing how he turned up...

 

[ArneHD]

Oh, I am sure the UK could prosecute him if, somehow mysteriously, he was found outside Scotland Yard HQ hogtied with a bow around his body. Just have the SAS nab him and never admit to knowing how he turned up...

You WANT another cold war, don't you? It would most make Russia cut diplomatic ties to the UK, and quite possibly make them cut business ties, of which the UK and Russia have plenty.

 

[bhsup]

Hey, just like Russia denies any knowledge of the poisoning, the UK simply denies any knowledge of how the guy got there. Tell the Ruskies that Santa Claus must have dropped him off, since he was wrapped in a bow. If they don't believe the UK, tough cookies.

 

[ArneHD]

Hey, just like Russia denies any knowledge of the poisoning, the UK simply denies any knowledge of how the guy got there. Tell the Ruskies that Santa Claus must have dropped him off, since he was wrapped in a bow. If they don't believe the UK, tough cookies.

The poisoning has already had diplomatic consequences, several diplomats were expelled from both nations, using ANY kind of force is likely to impact relations further and, with them, business ties.

 

[amadeus]

The more things change, the more Russia stays the same.

 

[skadistic]

I bet he gets "elected".

 

[Godwynn]

The more things change, the more Russia stays the same.

I bet he gets "elected".

Agreed with the above comments.