Posted on 05/28/2007 2:00:00 AM PDT by RusIvan
Two days after the Crown Prosecution Service announced that Andrei Lugovoi, the former KGB agent, should be charged with the murder of his old colleague Alexan-der Litvinenko and demanded that Russia extradite him to face trial in Britain, I bumped into a Russian friend: worldly, pro-western and a fluent English speaker who has travelled dozens of times abroad.
I asked him who he thought had ordered the murder of Litvinenko, a fierce Kremlin critic who died of a massive polonium210 dose in London six months ago. My friend had no doubts. “Boris Berezovsky of course,” he said forcefully. It was the exiled oligarch and foe of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, who had smuggled polonium into Britain and ordered his protégé’s death. Why? To sully Russia’s image in the West.
However absurd that seems, many Russians would agree. Even in exile Berezovsky, once one of Moscow’s most powerful political players, is regarded as a Machiavellian figure whose influence, they believe, knows no boundaries. Those who do not share that view, including Litvinenko’s first wife, believe he was instead killed by the CIA or MI5, enemies of Russia bent on weakening it just as it is becoming strong again. Few here suspect the FSB, as the KGB is now known, or the Kremlin. Too small a fish for them to get involved, they argue.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Yeah, but I am confident that Putin has a good soul.
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ping
World’s greatest statement, at present. I never liked Russia until him.
Let me understand this. Litvinenko was too small a fish for the FSB to off (despite his allegations) but an important one enough for the CIA to despatch to sully Russia’s reputation. Yeah, that makes sense. The Russians are paranoid.
The Russians have more than enough reason to believe that Berezovsky, the supporter of Islamic terrorism against Russia, was behind it.
Litvinenko was too small a fish for the FSB to off (despite his allegations) but an important one enough for the CIA to despatch to sully Russia’s reputation==
Yeah:). He lived in London so he was in reach for CIA. He was sometimes ago the bodiguard of another one this time real prominent Putin’ enemy Berezovskii. The press outcry the matter invoked seems like the payed company. And so on.
Then the Russian government should have no difficulty in extraditing Lugavoy to London to be questioned by the British government.
Why should it if the Brits won’t extradict Berezovsky to Russia for his crimes and for his calls to violently overthrow the Russian government? Nor are the Russians stupid enough to believe that Lugovoi would get a fair trial in Britain.
Then the Russian government should have no difficulty in extraditing Lugavoy to London to be questioned by the British government.==
There are only one difficulty: The Russian Constitution forbids to extradite the russian citizen to foreign state. Just imagine that it woul dbe the american citizen. Will you support to extradite him to anywhere? I doubt it.
[”I bumped into a Russian friend: worldly, pro-western and a fluent English speaker...”]
Well, I do say ole boy, he doesnt’ speak English that well.
Does Russian Constitution forbid extradition of radioactive material to foreign states?
“Nor are the Russians stupid enough to believe that Lugovoi would get a fair trial in Britain.”
Sorry, the Russians don’t trust the British justice system? Do I understand you correctly? So that is the only reason? Because British justice is a kangaroo court?
I guess having watched the Khodorovsky trial, the British must have taken into consideration Russian justice as well.
So there you sit.
And if you are to be believed they actually have the murderer in the UK already although their evidence so far does not point to Berezovsky but rather to Lugavoy.
And if you are to be believed they actually have the murderer in the UK already although their evidence so far does not point to Berezovsky but rather to Lugavoy.
Sorry, but I don't trust the British and their "judicial system". Recall what they did to the Irish. Recall the Guildford Four, for example. These events are completely and totally politicized and intended to harm Russia's image. I don't buy it for a second and neither should any other conservatives. The Brits are harbouring terrorists like the Muslim Zakayev and the criminal Berezovsky, both wanted by Russia, yet both granted exile in London.
These events are completely and totally politicized and intended to harm Russia’s image.
Sorry, pal, you and the Russians are paranoid. Just because we don’t trust you, doesn’t mean we are out to get you.
Feel free to keep your head in the sand. It's what many Americans do best these days.
Sorry, pal, you and the Russians are paranoid. Just because we don’t trust you, doesn’t mean we are out to get you.>>>
Interesting. So, GB harbors known Chechen terrorist (Zakaev) and when Russia expresses its concern regarding this case you call Russians paranoid. Try to hide Ben Laden in your house and when FBI comes for you, call them paranoid.
Feel free to keep your paranoia running at fever pitch. It is what many Russians do best these days.
The paranoia comment related to the belief that Lugavoy would not receive justice in the UK because they were interested in damaging Russia’s image.
Your analogy is a non sequetir.
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