Russian suspect in radiation murder 'will be assassinated', says dissident

The life of the former KGB agent accused of murdering Alexander Litvinenko is in danger because he has information which would embarrass the Kremlin, it has been claimed.

Russian exile Boris Berezovsky said Andrei Lugovoy could be killed to prevent him being brought to London to face trial.

In a dramatic series of claims, Mr Berezovsky also alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered Mr Litvinenko's murder.

The former Russian spy was poisoned in November last year with a tiny dose of the radioactive substance polonium 210.

On his deathbed, he accused Mr Putin of being behind his poisoning. The Kremlin has always denied involvement.

On Tuesday the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald QC, announced there was sufficient evidence to charge Mr Lugovoy with Mr Litvinenko's murder.

He also demanded the extradition of the Moscow-based businessman, who is alleged to have spiked Mr Litvinenko's tea during a meeting at a central London hotel.

Mr Berezovsky, a fierce critic of the Kremlin, told the BBC he believes Mr Putin masterminded the poisoning.

"It is impossible to produce polonium without state support and impossible to transport polonium without state support," he said.

"It can't have happened without his personal involvement and that's exactly what Alexander told me in the hospital.

"Lugovoy's life is in danger, because it is [an] absolutely typical KGB way to solve the problem, to kill the witness of the crime."

Alex Goldfarb, a friend of the Litvinenko family, agreed Mr Lugovoy is a "marked man" who could mysteriously drop dead.

Speaking from New York, where he heads a civil liberties foundation set up by Mr Berezovsky, he said: "More likely he will drop dead or become a fugitive and disappear or something. Why?

"Because the Government knows he holds in his hands the future of Mr Putin personally and the whole regime.

"If he talks and tells about the circumstances of how and when it happened, they are in big trouble. He is a marked man."

Asked whether Mr Lugovoy will be extradited, Mr Goldfarb said: "They would rather go to war than extradite him.

"If he is extradited he will talk. If he talks he will say who gave him the polonium. That will be much worse that whatever damage non-extradition will give to Russia."

There are fears that diplomatic relations between London and Moscow are at their worst level since the Cold War.

Russian prosecutors said Mr Lugovoy would not be extradited over the allegations because any charge could be dealt with at home.

Mr Lugovoy, who runs a business training bodyguards, said he is innocent of the poisoning and added that the decision to charge him is politically motivated.

But Tony Blair insists the UK will "not in any way shy away" from pursuing the case and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she expected "full co-operation".

An official spokesman said: "We believe Russia should abide by its international obligations, and we believe it's through abiding by international obligations that people can have confidence – whether it's in investment or international relations."