British officials said yesterday there was "sufficient evidence" to charge a Russian former KGB agent with murder and seek his extradition from Moscow in the sensational poisoning death of Alexander Litvinenko.
Litvinenko, 43, a vocal critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, was poisoned by the radioactive isotope polonium-210 and died Nov. 23.
On the day he fell ill, Nov. 1, he met with former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoy for tea at a London hotel.
"I have today concluded that the evidence sent to us by the police is sufficient to charge Andrei Lugovoy with the murder of Mr. Litvinenko by deliberate poisoning," Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald said, immediately setting off a diplomatic confrontation between London and Moscow.
By Nicole Belle
— May 23, 2007
