Russia Britain must explain tycoon plot arrest

MOSCOW, July 26 (Reuters) Russia today demanded Britain explain the arrest in London of a man suspected of being involved in a plot to murder Russian tycoon and Kremlin critic Boris Berezovsky.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on www.mid.ru that it had summoned British Ambassador Tony Brenton.

''He was told that the Russian side expects an official explanation about the recent reports in the British media about a person of Russian origin who was supposedly arrested in London on suspicion of planning to kill B. Berezovsky,'' it said.

Berezovsky, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said this month British police had warned him in June of a plot to kill him.

Police confirmed they had arrested a man on June 21 in connection with a plot to kill Berezovsky but released him two days later without charge, handing him to immigration officials.

Berezovsky, who was granted political asylum in Britain in 2003, told reporters on July 18 that the man was deported to Russia.

REUTERS SY BD2203