So Scotland Yard officers investigating the death of Alexander Litvinenko swagger into Moscow expecting the Russian authorities to step back and let them interrogate whomever they liked. Imagine their shock when they were put firmly in their place. Any questioning would be done by the Russians, but permission may be granted for the Scotland Yard guys to listen in. And as for arresting anyone, they could forget that. According to the Russian prosecutor:
“Scotland Yard can’t arrest Russian citizens. If they have to be investigated, we can do that in Russia according to a convention. We can open an inquiry… and put them on trial in Russia.”
Well, that’s told them. Wonder when they’ll be back in London.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of this case, you do not just turn up in a sovereign State, particularly one like Russia, and expect to interrogate its citizens without restrictions. Forget all the noises from politicians about Russia promising its full co-operation; there was no way on earth that London police would have been given free rein in Moscow. Anyone could have seen that.
As to the possibiity of arresting an extraditing a suspect, that is almost impossible. Apart from anything else, there is no extradition mechanism in place, and as it turns out, no co-operation from the Russian authorities.
Apparently, the Kremlin are being unhelpful because they are upset that Downing Street did not block Litvinenko’s death bed statement in which he named Putin as Poisoner-General. It may have escaped their notice, but we (still) have freedom of speech in this country. Maybe they could send some of their police officers to come interview the journalists who publicised the statement.
