Hian's comments intensifies tension between Britain and Russia

LONDON, Nov 27 (UNI) The growing tension between Britain and Russia over the death of Alexander Litvinenko, the former KGB agent, has intensified after UK Cabinet minister Peter Hain condemned the "murky murders" clouding Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime speaking on BBC Television's Sunday AM programme.

Mr Hain hinted at the possible Kremlin involvement in Mr Litvinenko's death.

Until now police have referred to it as an unexplained death although they had previously said they suspected deliberate poisoning. A formal request has been submitted to Moscow for any information that might help the police.

While Downing Street and the Foreign Office have avoided suggesting direct Russian involvement, Mr Hain, Northern Ireland Secretary and a contender for Labour's deputy leadership, attacked Mr Putin yesterday.

Speaking on BBC Television's Sunday AM programme, Hain said relations between London and Moscow were "tricky" following Mr Litvinenko's death.

He said, ''The promise that President Putin brought to Russia when he came to power has been clouded by what has happened since, including some extremely murky murders." He referred to the earlier shooting outside her apartment of Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent journalist critical of President Putin's human rights record in Chechnya.

Mr Hain said the attacks on democracy and individual liberty in Russia had overshadowed President Putin's success in ''binding a disintegrating nation together" and achieving stability from an economy which had been collapsing into "Mafioso-style chaos.'' ''It is important he retakes the democratic road in my view,'' he added.

Last night a Downing Street spokesman said, ''While there is an ongoing police investigation and Health Protection Agency investigation, we do not have anything to say on this.'' The Foreign Office has spoken to the Russian Ambassador, Yuri Fedotov, asking authorities in Moscow to make available any information which might assist police with their inquiries.

Police are trying to piece together Mr Litvinenko's movements on November 1, the day he was taken ill. They have focused their attention on the Itsu sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, where he met Italian investigator Mario Scaramella for lunch. Investigations are also continuing at the Millennium hotel in Grosvenor Square where Mr Litvinenko met two former KGB colleagues, Andrei Logovoi and Dimitry Kovtun.

Search operations have taken place at the hotel's Pine bar and a room on the fourth floor. Traces of radioactivity have been found at both the hotel and the Itsu sushi restaurant, along with Mr Litvinenko's home in North London, but police are still trying to work out in which order and by whom the traces were deposited.

The Home Secretary John Reid refused to be drawn on the progress of the police investigation, apart from confirming that murder was a possible line of inquiry. He said as at this stage, they are saying to me that they now regard the death as suspicious. That was not the case yesterday, for instance. ''They are now saying, however, that they keep all possible options and avenues open,'' he added.

The Tories will be seeking a Commons statement from the government today. David Davis, Tory Home Affairs spokesman, called on the Russian authorities to cooperate with police inquiries.

''It is essential that other dissidents living in Britain are reassured about their safety and there are also questions about how polonium 210 came to be used in Britain,'' he said.

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