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Russia 'gave agents licence to kill' enemies of the state
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A hearing is to be held next week into whether a full inquest should take place into Mr Litvinenko's death
The Russian secret service authorised the “elimination” of individuals living overseas who were judged to be enemies of the state and ordered the creation of special units to conduct such operations, according to a document passed to The Daily Telegraph.
The directive refers specifically to the European Union and western Europe and appears to be signed by the head of counter-intelligence of the FSB, the successor to the KGB.
It is dated March 19, 2003 - four years before the killing of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London. It sets a provisional deadline of May 1 2004 for the new units' work to begin.
It is understood the document is also in the possession of Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command which is investigating the Litvinenko case.
A hearing is to be held next week into whether a full inquest should take place into Mr Litvinenko's death, as the Russian government has insisted that Andrei Lugovoi, the former KGB bodyguard who is a main suspect in the case, will never be extradited back to Britain.
Labelled "Secret documentation. For internal use only. Do not copy", the leaked document refers to a law on "countering extremist activities" passed eight months earlier, although that law does not refer to the use of force.
The objectives, the directive says, are "observation, identification, possible return to the Russian Federation" of their targets.
But it also allows for "under special directives" the "elimination outside of the Russian Federation in the countries of Near Abroad [former Soviet states] and in the European Union, of the leaders of unlawful terrorist groups and organisations, extremist formations and associations, of individuals who have left Russia illegally [and are] wanted by federal law enforcement".
Apparently with leaders of rebellions in the Caucasus in mind, among others, it names the crimes of those sought as terrorism, "extremist activity," murder, kidnapping and "others classified as especially serious crimes against citizens of the Russian Federation and directed against the Russian state and government".
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