UK rules out swapping exile for spy murder suspect

British authorities yesterday rejected suggestions from Russia that the man suspected of murdering Alexander Litvinenko could be swapped for an exiled Kremlin critic.

Last week, prosecutors began a formal extradition process of former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoy, the man suspected of killing Mr Litvinenko.

The Attorney General has told Russia's chief prosecutor that Lugovoy must face trial in the UK.

In a face-to-face meeting with chief prosecutor Yuri Chaika, Lord Goldsmith said he expected the Russian authorities to co-operate.

And today, a high-ranking Russian politician appeared to suggest Russia could extradite Lugovoy to Britain in exchange for Boris Berezovsky, an exiled tycoon long sought by Russia.

Lawmaker Vladimir Vasilyev, who heads the security committee in the lower house of parliament, said that Russian law did not allow for the extradition of Lugovoy, but he appeared to indicate that the question was open to negotiation.

Mr Vasilyev was asked at a news conference whether a swap of Lugovoy and Mr Berezovsky was possible.

"Everything is possible," Mr Vasilyev said.

But a spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service dismissed the idea.

"No, that's not possible," he said.

Mr Berezovsky fell out with Russian President Vladimir Putin within months of his 2000 election and fled to Britain, where he was granted citizenship.

Berezovsky and his supporters maintain that Russia's attempts to return him to the country for trial are aimed at punishing him for his criticism of Putin.

A Home Office spokesman said that an extradition request for Mr Berezovsky had already failed in the courts.

He would not comment on the possibility of future requests.

Lord Goldsmith previously said that he had stressed to the Russian prosecutor general "that this was a most grave and reckless crime, which killed one man and endangered the safety of many others".

He added: "I have impressed on Mr Chaika that we are seeking and expect constructive and rapid co-operation from the Russian authorities in bringing this suspect before a British court."

Lugovoy was charged with Mr Litvinenko's murder last week.

The exiled former Russian spy was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in London in November last year.

Lord Goldsmith has also rejected suggestions made last week that Lugovoy could be put on trial in Russia.

He said: "This murder was committed on UK soil, the evidence is in the UK, a UK citizen was killed and other people put at risk and it is therefore right a suspect should face justice in a UK court."