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sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'âwith its many half-truths, mis-
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--- Begin Message ---
-Caveat Lector-
New rift looms with Putin as Russia's 'most wanted' oligarch seeks asylum in
Britain
By WILL STEWART and JASON LEWIS -
Last updated at 22:08pm on 27th October 2007
_http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=4
90168&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source_
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=490168&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source)
=One of
Russia's richest and most wanted men has secretly applied for political
asylum in Britain, fuelling the ongoing row between president Putin and Gordon
Brown.
Mikhail Gutseriyev, former head of massive oil and gas firm Russneft, is
understood to be in hiding in the UK and appealing for Government protection.
He fled Russia with a reputed £1.5 billion after a warrant was issued for his
arrest on major fraud and tax evasion charges.
But the 49-year-old billionaire - a bitter rival of Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich - claims he was hounded out of his business by the Kremlin for
political
reasons.
In hiding: Gutseriyev claims he was hounded by the Kremlin
A former member of the Russian parliament, Mr Gutseriyev disappeared from
Russia several weeks ago and is understood to have been smuggled to Britain
where, Whitehall sources said, he has made an asylum application to the Home
Office.
The Government received the paperwork in the past two weeks and it is
understood that it is being rushed through.
His presence in Britain is likely to deepen the rift with Russia.
Relations are already at a low over Moscow's decision to block the
extradition of the prime suspect in the murder of former KGB man Alexander
Litvinenko in
London last year and Britain's protection of Boris Berezovsky, who has
declared he wants to oust Mr Putin.
The Russian interior ministry says Mr Gutseriyev was involved in "illegal
activities committed by an organised group on a grand scale".
He was charged by a Russian court on May 4 after a ten month investigation
into his firm.
Now the Moscow-based prosecutor general's office says it has applied to put
Mr Gutseriyev's name on Interpol's international wanted list.
Interpol is understood to be considering the case.
Last week his Moscow lawyer Alla Yaminskaya said: "Gutseriyev is an honest
man who follows the law, an upstanding person. All court decisions relating to
this issue are illegal and will be appealed."
Mr Gutseriyev apparently incurred the Kremlin's wrath by buying assets from
Yukos, a rival oil company, before its bankruptcy last year and by refusing to
sell his own company to Mr Putin's allies.
Mr Putin has used Yukos's assets to build Rosneft, the state-run petroleum
company, into the country's largest producer of crude oil.
Yukos, the one-time market leader, was bankrupted and dismantled through a
series of forced auctions after the state claimed more than £15billion in back
taxes.
Its former owner, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, was jailed
for fraud and tax evasion.
He has said he was punished for opposing Mr Putin. Mr Gutseriyev has been
labelled "the second Khodorkovsky".
The latest twist comes after the mysterious death of Mr Gutseriyev's
Harrow-educated son Chingiskhan, 22, in Moscow last August, after crashing his
Ferrari.
Forensic tests for the family are said to have concluded that his death was
"not accidental".
Friends say Mr Gutseriyev was unable to attend his son's funeral for fear he
would be arrested.
Last night the Home Office refused to confirm or deny that Mr Gutseriyev was
in Britain and asking for asylum.
But a spokesman added: "The Government is committed to providing protection
for those individuals found to be genuinely in need, in accordance with our
commitments under international law."
************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
www.ctrl.org
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substanceânot soap-boxingâplease! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'âwith its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright fraudsâis used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/
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