Litvinenko suspect claims spy 'may have killed himself'
One of the men accused of murdering Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with polonium-210, said he believes the former KGB officer might have killed himself accidentally after handling radioactive material.
Dimitri Kovtun held a news conference in Moscow and said that he thought the death of Mr Litvinenko was "suicide by negligence", according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi are suspected of murdering the 43-year-old former spy, who died nearly three weeks after consuming tea laced with polonium-210 in London in November 2006.
On his deathbed, Mr Litvinenko accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of ordering his assassination - which the Kremlin denies.
Kovtun and Lugovoi also deny any involvement.
Kovtun is due to give evidence via video-link at the the inquiry into Mr Litvinenko's death, which will resume on July 27th at the Royal Courts of Justice, after initially refusing to participate.
Kovtun told reporters in Moscow today that he would ask the inquiry chairman Sir Robert Owen to consider the evidence he believes proves his innocence.