Investigation discloses photo of Anna Politkovskaya's supposed killer

Today, the photo of the supposed murderer of Anna Politkovskaya, journalist of the "Novaya Gazeta" was published; apparently, this is Rustam Makhmudov, 34, a native of the Achkhoy-Martan District of Chechnya.

The Life.ru reports that now Rustam Makhmudov, who is searched by the investigatory group, is hiding somewhere abroad, and his traces go to London, where the probable organizer of the customized murder may be hiding.

The suspected killer has been in search for 11 years. He is searched by one of Moscow District GUVDs (Interior Departments) for escaping from investigation. Back on August 18, 1997, a criminal case was initiated against him under Article "Kidnapping".

Earlier, Rustam Makhmudov was already named in connection with the journalist's murder. The "Komsomolskaya Pravda" newspaper named him on March 29 with reference to its own informal sources.

In her turn, Anna Stavitskaya, advocate of Politkovskaya's family, believes that disclosure of the name of the probable killer can tell negatively on the investigation of the case. "Indeed, the man was not found, but for some reason his name is disclosed in the press, as if to advise him to hide better hidden," Ms Stavitskaya said on air of the "Echo Moskvy" Radio. As she said, "plenty of questions arise why this name was announced; and not by the investigation, which acts correctly by not doing it."

Dmitri Dovgiy, dismissed Head of the Chief Investigatory Department of the Investigatory Committee under the Prosecutor's Office, had stated earlier that the customer of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, observer of the "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper, was businessman Boris Berezovskiy who is hiding from Russian justice.