KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- Ukraine's former interior minister was found dead of an apparent suicide at his home on the day he was to testify about the killing of an opposition journalist, an official said.
Yuri Kravchenko had been accused by opposition political forces of being involved in the killing of Heorhiy Gongadze. The former minister had been expected to give testimony to prosecutors on Friday about Gongadze's death.
Inna Kisel, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, said Kravchenko appeared to have committed suicide. She referred all other questions to officials at the General Prosecutor's Office, who couldn't be immediately reached.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Svyatoslav Piskun said Wednesday that investigators had identified all four people involved in Gongadze's 2000 slaying and knew who was the mastermind. He refused to identify the person who ordered the killing.
Two of the suspected killers were in custody, one was under orders not to leave Kiev and the fourth was on an international wanted list, he said. All were employed by Ukraine's Interior Ministry, Piskun said.
Gongadze, who wrote about alleged high-level corruption, was abducted in Kiev in September 2000. His decapitated body was found months later buried in a forest outside the capital.
His death sparked months of protests against former President Leonid Kuchma, who the opposition alleged was involved in the killing. He denies involvement.
The allegations were based on recordings that a former presidential bodyguard said were made secretly in Kuchma's office. In the tapes, Kuchma was overheard repeatedly complaining about Gongadze's reporting and ordering Kravchenko to "drive him out, throw (him) out, give him to the Chechens."
Just think if Bush had Michael Moore killed.
Yuri Kravchenko had been accused by opposition political forces of being involved in the killing of Heorhiy Gongadze. The former minister had been expected to give testimony to prosecutors on Friday about Gongadze's death.
Inna Kisel, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, said Kravchenko appeared to have committed suicide. She referred all other questions to officials at the General Prosecutor's Office, who couldn't be immediately reached.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Svyatoslav Piskun said Wednesday that investigators had identified all four people involved in Gongadze's 2000 slaying and knew who was the mastermind. He refused to identify the person who ordered the killing.
Two of the suspected killers were in custody, one was under orders not to leave Kiev and the fourth was on an international wanted list, he said. All were employed by Ukraine's Interior Ministry, Piskun said.
Gongadze, who wrote about alleged high-level corruption, was abducted in Kiev in September 2000. His decapitated body was found months later buried in a forest outside the capital.
His death sparked months of protests against former President Leonid Kuchma, who the opposition alleged was involved in the killing. He denies involvement.
The allegations were based on recordings that a former presidential bodyguard said were made secretly in Kuchma's office. In the tapes, Kuchma was overheard repeatedly complaining about Gongadze's reporting and ordering Kravchenko to "drive him out, throw (him) out, give him to the Chechens."
Just think if Bush had Michael Moore killed.