Why are dissident Russians (who are plotting the unlawful & violent overthrow of Russia’s democratically elected government) allowed asylum here to carry out their anarchy from the privacy of their luxury British homes & hotels & on the streets of London. Unsurprisingly, the Russians come looking for them, but end up endangering the lives of innocent British people with radio-active materials & firearms. Already the Russian mafia has a firm stranglehold on organised crime here. If Berezovsky & his mates are so adamant about their cause & if, as they say, they are innocent of the crimes Russia has accused them of, then they should carry on their cause in Russia, not in Britain. This isn’t our battle, we don't want them here. I wonder what's in it for the UK to allow these trouble makers to remain here. Could it be the tax on Berezovsky's billions, or is that safely secured in an off shore account.

michael pickles, bournemouth, england

So, did the Russian Ambassador lied saying the Russian P-G had presented detailed fraud charges in support of an extradition request or not? If he did, why not to mention this and call him a liar, since all of them marked as thugs anyway? If he didn't, well, this means not everything the author said about Russian prosecutors was true. It means sometimes they do their job. Well, they success record is not that brilliant of course, but I have an impression the author wants them to score absolutely zero. In other words, the author knows that Russian prosecutors perform poorly and is going to do all he can to prevent any attempts to improve. What hypocrisy! And, by the way, talking about Russian oligarchs with expensive PR machines, don't we see here these machines at work? Just asking.

Alex Mamatov, New York, USA

somehow i am not surprised. if you guys so passionately nurture youts cheering "bomb bomb uk" on your streets, i can't imagine that you stop at anything in protecting murky characters like Berezovski. i still don't understand why though, but i guess this is that mystical british soul, eh?

Shurik Murin, Toronto,

In a country where economics is tied into clique politics and there is still no functioning property law; where appointments to major 'private' companies are made by government; where minority, and particularly foreign, shareholders have no effective rights; it is impossible to do any kind of business without being a crook. The only difference between criminal asset strippers and government is "who's in and who's out". The case to extradite Berezovsky is I think not proven.

It could have been different. Other ex-COMECON countries have made the transition to a civil society. Unfortunately, Russia adopted laissez faire capitalism without also adopting the rule of law.

Ned Ludd, Paris,

Berezovsky isn't simply playing Britain...
It's actually using it as he wishes... and british politics let hi; do, just because they get payed for it...
It's would be really embarassing for a country that actually has self-esteem... but Britain is already used to licking the boots of those who pay best...
Some sort of political prostitution... and no sign of embarassement.

Angelique, Paris, France

We might as well say that Colombian drug barons deserve our protection from the corrupt courts of south america. This really is absurd. I think Giles hankers after a time when Russian pensioners begged on the streets, Russians lost their life savings, inflation was rampant and the country was going down the drain (under Yeltsin and his crew).

He and Tony Halpin, and others at the Times, are in awe of Boris B. They were never on the receiving end of his ruthless dealings; perhaps they would think differently had it been their lives he helped ruin. Imagine Boris B as president of Russia - talk about insecurity!

Jamie Northam, Newcastle, UK

Russia asks UK to extradite Berezovsky because UK does not try him on the money laundering. UK does not want to strain itself for the trying, and benefits from his money. Thus, UK supports crime in Russia, and shows that it will support people giving intelligence about other countries to UK.
UK, extradite Berezovsky to Brasil at least. Brasil is not so prejudice against Russia, as UK is.

Dmitry, Moscow,

Giles Whittell is correct: the fact he may have broken the law in Russia needs to be set beside the fact he would undoubtedly be persecuted if he returned to Russia's kangaroo justice system, and there is no chance he could receive a fair trial.

The fact that none of us in this country or in Russia like him is beside the point. When Russia can start pointing to its own real and functioning justice system, then it has more chance of getting what it wants.

Those that demand he be sent to Russia are demanding it of whom? The government? If so, then they misunderstand the nature of courts and justice in the UK: unlike Russia it doesn't run on the whim of politicians.

What is more relevent is the Brazilian request. Unlike the Russian and UK systems, I know nothing about the Brazilian courts, but if they are fair, and he has a case to answer, and there is a valid extradition treaty in place, then it could be an interesting time ahead for Mr Berezovsky...

Alan, London,

Berezovsky has done NOTHING wrong. The Russian media and politicians have trumped up fraud charges against him and the fools who have commented below have fallen for the propaganda hook, line and sinker.

Wouldn't be anything to do with his religious background perchance? Otherwise great article and pity more of my fellow countrymen don't remove their blinkers

Svetlana, Moscow/London,

I think he has enough money to get body guards. Why use tax payers money?

H.M., Hameenlinna, Finland

Berezovsky is being protected because of his wealth some of which I suspect has bought him a a few friends in high places. It does Britain no credit to be seen as the defender of people like Berezovsky.

And where was "British justice" during the Saudi arms and the cash for peerages scams.

John, auckland,

Berezovsky. Do I care if when he's extradited to Russia he may get topped by another set of gangsters? No I do not. The man has been calling for the violent overthrow of a Head of State. The British justice system has just jailed three Islamists for incitement to violence but sees nothing wrong with the Russian doing the same thing. Hypocracy is the word that springs to mind. I'm all in favour of deporting anyone regardless of skin colour, religion or sex who is not a British citizen (and I regard Berezovsky in this group regardless of the fact that he bought his citizenship) who calls for the violent overthrow of a legally elected regime.

Markham, Huddersfield, England

Article in newspaper picture from Vesti news programme has been printed on Russian also. You really think russians is idiots? They will not understand that it is a collage????

tengu, Latvia,

How much is Berezovsky paying you to defend him. To me , he is nothing more than a crook and ought to be extradited to Russia.

Subramaniam, Paris,

Boris Berezovsky problems in Russia did not begin with Vladimir Putin. In November 1997 Yeltsin removed him from his position as deputy secretary of the Security Council, In March 1999 Yeltsin sacked him as executive secretary of the CIS in March 1999. One month after being sacked for a second time by Yeltsin Berezovsky was arrested for laundering $990 million through two Swiss front corporations. Putin actually rescued Berezovsky, not vice versa. Following the Moscow apartment bombings in September 1999, Berezovsky used his ORT TV as a campaign platform in support of Putin. Using the Moscow apartment bombings was the brain child of Berezovsky. It was not until he fled Russia for France in November 2000--11 months after Putin's election as president--to evade a court summons on the reinstituted May 1999 money laundering charges, that Berezovsky crafted allegations of political persecution that led to his asylum in the UK. That and the $1 m ransom he paid for release of UK aide workers

Brian Doan , Burlington, Vermont

Compliments to the author for a level-headed piece. I can only find one point to disagree with:

Whittell>... they [successive Russian Prosecutors-General] have ... failed to solve a string of apparently political murders. Alexander Litvinenko’s was one.

Not quite so. The RPG office has put forward quite a large number of highly imaginative versions of Mr.Litvinenko's murder. One of those features Mr.Litvinenko as the murderer. And it's early days yet.

The situation described in the article does raise some questions though. What with contempt towards RPG shouldn't British proecutors devote some effort to scrutinizing Mr.Berezovsky's accomplishments? Should the British judicial system treat, say, Braziian prosecutors with equal contempt?

Vladimir, Amsterdam,

On behalf of millions Russians swindled by Berezovsky and and his cronies, I would like to ask UK Goverment: please keep him in London. He is yours, Russia dosn't need him. People like him are a plague, so please let him stay in London and continue to be an embarresement for UK. He pays well to his bodyguards and journalist who ready to write anything he says. In the end of the day, Russians like Putin and they voted for him. And nothing what a nobody like Berezovsky says or does is going to change that. If you say that "Russia is a great country, run by thugs" we can say that Britain is an impotent country run by morons and manipulated by Berezovsky. I know that you will not publish my comment, but I think that most of your readers are of the same opinion.

Oleg, Toronto, Canada

And this country is a once great nation run by those who have acted illegally and deliberately misled its own citizens over the reasons for the invasion of Iraq; has blatantly sold its citizens potentially to the USA who have virtually unbridled rights of extradition of such a Briish subjectwithout the need to produce evidence of a crime.

I could add a lot more. But perhaps later.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,People in glasshouses" ?? methinks.

roger carter, Portsmouth, UK

Hit it on the nail. But Czar Putin will never even try to understand...

D.F.A. von Jettmar, Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.

There are nearly two hundred other countries to choose from. The mere fact that Mr Berezovsky is able to take foreign holidays indicates that there are others who will accept him.

To present the choice as simply "here or Russia" is a false dichotomy.

If he were a radical Imam saying the things he says about his country of origin, would he be allowed to stay? Or would he be sent to a third country just so long as it promised not to torture him?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

He should still be sent to Brazil to answer the money laundering charges. With all the "funny money" coming into London there is bound to be a terrible financial scandal sooner or later. It is one thing to be a magnet for the world's billionaires but reputation also matters. They certainly seem to think so in the US where they have no hesitation at all in bringing corporate crooks to trial and jailing them.

Marie-Louise, Brussels,

So we harbour a crook and a thief in London and you guys publish a supportive article avery 2 or 3 days about him...
Stop criticizing Russia and have a good look at yourselves.

wright, paris,