Litvinenko (a British citizen) dies of Polonium poisoning in Britain. The person to eat with him last before he gets sick, tracks Polonium everywhere he goes, implicating himself in the death. Justice requires he be extradited to Britain to stand trial for violating British law.

Its' not about moral superiority, or colonial arrogance of the British. If the victim had been a Russian citizen, killed in Russia, and the suspect British, the Russians would want him extradited to stand trial for breaking Russian law.

Forget power politics - what if it were your brother/sister/wife husband who were dead.

As for extradiation being contrary to Russian constitution. The British and Russians were working on extradition agreement when this whole thing blew up. The Russian constitution wasn't a barrier then.

I believe that the British are simply being the condescending Brits by demanding that Russia hand over the suspect to British authorities. The british believe in their superiority, morally and otherwise, and always will. They should hand the information they have over to the Russians and see what happens. If they don't like the result, they can complain then.

Dear Sir / Madam

I am 46 years old, Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan (muslim). I was an immigration consultant in Canada and also member of Canadian Bar Association as part of my business , I had an office in New York.
During 2001 immediately after the Sept 11, event the US govt arrested me on Oct 25, 2001 on anonymous call, as a material witness for the 9/11 world trade centre terrorist attack. A detail investigation by the FBI and USA Naval intelligence dept was conducted and I was cleared, but even then govt put me in front of Grand jury , and I was cleared and the case was dismissed by the Grand jury of the US Federal Court .
Approximately after 2 weeks , before I was released from custody the US Govt imposed a new charges of Fraud and money laundering , under the advice of my attorney , I pleaded guilty and I was sentenced to prison for five years (which was four years more, what I pleaded). In which I had already spent 3 years in Detention jail, during the case , I had about 14 months left to finishing my sentence ,(instead of appealing, I preferred to applied for Treaty Transfer to Canada, because if the case is in the appeal, defendant is not eligible for transfer back to his home country).
While at prison, I learned from the case manager Miss Hause, that my citizen was incorrect in the FBOP’s (Federal Bureau of Prison) computer system as Pakistani instead of Canadian.
Its important to note , that all of my Canadian identifications (passport , citizenship card , S.I.N , Health card , Driving license etc) were under FBI’s possession, with a great deal of concern, I wrote a letter to the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, N.Y to notify such mistake and requested them to fix this problem. This is especially important for Treaty Transfer back to Canada.
The Canadian Consulate official sent a letter to the jail to correct my citizenship status, however FBOP ignored the request and the citizenship status in the FBOP computer still reflect Pakistani instead of Canadian (Note:- I would be required to obtain visa to visit Pakistan) .In contrast , the deportation letter received from US Immigration dept, Contained the correct citizenship status of Canada.
At the hindsight, I believe that the FBOP intentionally left the citizenship as Pakistani, so that they could retained me at their facility, while the govt is planning to file new charges against me 3rd time.
Approximately six weeks before my released date on Jan 30 ,2006 I was notified by the FBOP that I was being transferred from Allenwood , PA to MDC (Metropolitan Detention Centre) in Brooklyn N.Y, it was explained to me, that the purpose of this transfer was in preparation for deportation back to Canada, (after few days, I signed the immigration deportation papers, with my consular Miss Chen).
But immediately after my arriving to MDC Brooklyn, I discovered during a phone call with my family in Montreal, that RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) official had contacted my sister and brother-in-law regarding the whereabouts of my wife and my current situation, there was no explanation given by the RCMP official to the purpose of the call and he left his phone number and asked my wife to call him back immediately, my wife called the RCMP official and left messages in his voice mail. Then the official contacted my brother-in-law again and had asked him to tell my wife not to call again, because there is nothing good nor anything bad.
Meanwhile the AUSA ( Astt United States Attorney) office Investigator and FBI brought me to their office to be interrogated without an attorney present, even AUSA told in the court to the judge on March 16, 2006 that he arranged attorney for me before my arrival from Allenwood PA to MDC Brooklyn, N.Y, on Transcript; page 11, Transcript line No: 14 to 23.
AUSA:-
He (Khalid Awan) was writ in the cause of a grand jury investigation. He clearly had criminal exposure. So to protect his interest I made an application to the duty magistrate for counsel to be appointed.
THE COURT:-
Initially he was brought here by a Court to testify before the grand jury?
AUSA:-
That is correct, Your Honour.
THE COURT:-
When he arrived here, you made arrangements for an attorney to be pointed to request him?
AUSA:-
Yes, Your Honour.
This interrogation started with the AUSA office Investigator stating that my family will be arrested in Canada if I refused to answer their questions.
At this point I am certain that my family is in great danger for reasons that I am not aware of. I was scared that my family would be harassed by these people along with the Canadian RCMP official, I strongly believe that the RCMP is doing this intentionally in collaboration with FBI official to further harass me to admit charges, that I never committed.
Without knowledge of the reasons why the Canadian RCMP agency was involved. I was surprised that RCMP official directly approached my family instead of me without proper explanation, and its also shocked for me, that how RCMP got the phone number of my family (because before my arrest, I don’t have any single record in any police dept, of any country).
I was intimated and pushed to the edge during this interrogation, I was determined to provide anything these USA officials wanted to make them happy even is the questions made no sense, because I want them to stop the harassment to my family.
On March 15, 2006 I completed the term of my imprisonment and was to be released from American Custody and deported back to Canada. Before that I was arrested again 3rd time, and charged with providing “material support to a foreign terrorist” and money laundering (to a organization and person, which are not designated by the USA govt and belongs to Sikh religion) , and with whom, I don’t have any single common interest, because we both are from different countries and different religions.
These charges emerged while I was still in prison and without the capability of providing any type of support. It was even difficult for me to get enough financial assistance to pay legal fees. I could not have provided any material support while I was in prison for five years and I could not launder any money because I did not have any.
AUSA filed three counts of indictment against me.
Conspiracy to provide material support.
Provide a material support to the foreign terrorist.
Money laundering to support terrorism.
(Please note, that in my previous case govt charged me for money laundering and fraud from Jan 1999 to 2002 and “its mentioned in the plea-agreement by the AUSA that no further money laundering charges will be brought against defendant from Jan 1999 to April 2002” even then govt indict me for money laundering from 1998 to Nov 2001 (Which is double Jeopardy and violation of 5th Amendment of U.S Constitution.)
In Oct 2006, during pre-trial hearing on the motion’s filed by my attorney the first two counts of my indictment were dismissed by the judge, stating that there is a lack of facts and figures.
After two weeks AUSA re-indicted me again. I believe this is a desperate act of the AUSA to cover up a huge embarrassment . Further this hastily drawn indictment was full of factual errors and creative legal theories.
Since I was first arrested by the American govt, I believe that I have been singled out, isolated `and discriminated against primarily because of my race and religion, in addition to the fact that I don’t know any information that the American govt is trying to pressure out of me.
I do not understand the American laws and this is what led to my pleading guilty in the first case. I have difficulty understanding the new charges also.
I have been charged under, section 2339(a) of Title 18 of the United States code, which makes it illegal to provide material support to a foreign terrorist.
Please understand, I am not a terrorist, I do not know any terrorist and I have had no connections with or to any known or unknown terrorist. I have been incarcerated for last 5 years and I had no money to provide or launder.
The law enforcement have in America is pressuring me to provide information to them that I really do not have or know. I am a Canadian Citizen and nearly all of my family is in Canada, including my wife and kids. I don’t know any information to tell them to help their investigation.
Because of this , I am being treated unfairly and my rights under the American constitution are being violated. I am being held here in further detention against my will for crimes which I could have never committed, because I was in prison.
I believe, that I am a victim of the discrimination that was outlined in the July 3, 2006 issue of Time magazine (Page 29, column 3). In this article section 2339(a) & (b) are discussed and criticized “as most suspects are charged under these two sections. However, the justice dept here in America admits that of the more than 218 guilty pleas that it has obtained, most are for minor investigation issues that are uncovered deeding the course of their terrorism investigation. This suggest, according to the article that the Attorney General’s office have is not concerned about the rights or fairness or the manner in which it achieves convictions for the people they arrest. Furthermore, criticizes have noted that one of the patterns to emerge from these domestic prosecutions is that suspect seen too incompetent to carry out the deeds they are accused of. The Deputy Attorney General acknowledges that the Dept of Justice’s goal is “ preventions through prosecution’s” and this is done with no regard for an individual’s rights.
I agree that these guilty of terrorism should be prosecuted . But as the above mentioned article suggest , innocent people should not be targeted because of their race or religion.
I am not a terrorist and I should not be targeted and treated unfairly and unjustly.
I need your assistance desperately in my case, as I believe that I am being treated unjustly here. I would like to send you my attorney’s contact information and provide you with legal documents related to my case, so that you may become more familiar with my situation.
Please also note, that I appeared in the court , for no guilty of my 2nd superseding indictment on Aug 02, 2006 and on Aug 03, 2006 FBOP officials placed me in the SHU (Segregation Housing Unit) out of these months, I placed in the SHU isolation from Jan 03, 2007 to March 6, 2007 for unknown “Pending Investigation” in these 215 days of my segregation and isolation, I don’t have a single phone call access to my family, no legal calls to my attorney and Canadian Council, my legal mail opened in my absence, no medical treatment for my injured shoulder (even I went for hunger strike for 3 and half day) I harassed by the various jail officials and lot of other problems too which already been submitted in the attention of the FBOP higher authorities, but no action taken on them, after writing the court, instead of receiving the response or any action on my complaints, jail officials removed /moved me from MDC federal facility to Nassau County Jail .
My suffering has gone on for far too long, and I need your help to bring my suffering to an end. I want to return home to my family, because my imprisonment was injustice and will remain a great injustice forever.
May God bless you and be with you in your efforts to champion the cause of human rights, and the suffering of innocent prisoners and restore hope, faith and love to peoples all over the world.

Sincerely,
KHALID AWAN
FBOP NO. 50959-054

The court will be on 12 September 2007.

Read the article at the following link.

"A chill from the east", "The Economist", July 17
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9499474

London wants Moscow to extradite Andrei Lugovoi to Britain to stand trial for murdering a British citizen: Alexander Litvinenko. Further, Lugovoi used polonium-210, a highly radioactive substance, to kill Litvinenko. British authorities have evidence that Lugovi left a trail of radiation at every location that he visited in Britain. In addition to committing murder, Lugovoi endangered the British public by spilling radioactive poison throughout Britain.

Should Lugovoi be put on trial in Russia or Britain? We know that the Russian system of justice is a travesty. During recent pro-democracy demonstrations, Russian police savagely beat up innocent bystanders. When a victim futilely used his hands to protect his face from the brutal blows of a baton, the Russian policeman smashed the baton into the victim's face -- over and over and over. The victim became soaked in his own blood and lost consciousness.

The British system of justice is not perfect and has convicted innocent people. Yet, the British system is far better than the Russian system.

So, Lugovoi should be put on trial in Britain.

Further, the person whom Lugovoi ultimately killed is a British citizen. No Western nation can allow a foreign power to commit a successful assassination, on Western soil, with impunity. London must respond aggressively against Russia if Moscow refuses to extradite Lugovoi. The club of Western nations must support London 100% in its political battle against Russia.

If Moscow is allowed to murder a British citizen with impunity, the Russians will soon commit similar crimes on the soil of other Western nations.

Litvinenko is not the first instance of murder committed by a foreign power on Western soil. In 1984, the government of Taiwan schemed to murder an American citizen named Henry Liu. Like Litvinenko, Liu had written a book that condemned the president of his own nation, Taiwan. After the publication of the book, the Taiwanese authorities ordered several Chinese gangsters to kill Liu. In the morning of 1984 October 15, the Chinese thugs successfully killed him at his home in Daly City, California.

President Ronald Reagan told the Taiwanese government that it must imprison the officials who conspired to kill Liu. Reagan threatened to terminate military support for Taiwan. The Taiwanese government quickly complied and sent Admiral Wang Hsi-ling to prison.

Taking a cue from Reagan, all Western governments should warn Moscow that if it refuses to extradite Lugovoi to Britain, then the West shall (1) deport the families of all Russian government officials, (2) deny medical treatment to the families of all Russian govenment officials, (3) and confiscate the assets of the families of all Russian government officials. These privileged Russians would no longer be able to enjoy the freedoms and prosperity in the West.

Colleen: Your response to American Observer is predictable and we could play that "war" game forever. However, to me it is a question of a Hungarian's pathetic understanding of justice in a civil context and that does not augur well for continued East European democracies. As an apologist for Putin's Russia, is your basis for justice purely moral relativism, historical dialectic, or what??

Attn: Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, et. al.

The U.S. invaded your countries and killed thousands of your peoples. Request upon the American leadership to arrest the people responsible for the killings, themselves included if applicable.

American Observer, logic is completely missing from your ludicrous statements.

Colleen

http://winthrop77.blogspot.com

From reviews of his "Book of Fathers" I get the idea that Miklos' idea of justice comes not from courts but from cosmic fate, in the novel a Hungarian karma working itself out. Perhaps his protagonist with the nose that could smell out fear could have volunteered with the Bobbies to detect polonium radiation near all Russians. Since they have tens of thousands of cameras for terrorism, why can't the Brits solve this with 100,000 geiger counters, starting with sushi restaurants!!?

Miklos, in 1956 the Russians invaded your country and killed thousands of your people. Some of those killers were still alive when Vladimir Putin took power. Did Putin arrest any of them? In 1968 the Russians invaded Czechoslovakia and killed thousands of people. Many of those killers were still alive when Vladimir Putin took power. Did Putin arrest any of them? In 1980 the Russians invaded Afghanistan and killed thousands of people. Many of those killers were still alive when Vladimir Putin took power. Did Putin arrest any of them?

In 2006 Vladimir Putin sent his killers to the United Kingdom to murder a Russian who stood against Putin. There is zero chance that Putin will bring those killers to justice, and Putin's refusal to extradite the suspect that the British have requested is as clear an admission of guilt as any intelligent man could want.

This is a spoof, right? Just like I did on Lamis Andoni's summer literature where I blamed all Muslim women's oppression on Zionism and a couple people bought it. Yeah, Russian authorities dealt well with Hungarian cases a few years back, you bet ya! "I don’t believe that the justice of a state institution can make the situation right." GOOD GOD, MAN!! "The British police should have defended Mr. Litvinenko from his murderer" HE WAS POISONED!! Should they have tasted his food!!?? Put him under house arrest? Ohhh!, maybe that's what you want(ed) for him and these "spies" from Russian "justice"!!!