Chechen rebel 'admits Beslan hostage-taking'

A Chechen rebel leader today appeared to take responsibility for recent terror attacks in Russia including the Beslan school massacre.

But Shamil Basayev put ultimate blame for the massacre on Russian President-Vladimir Putin, and a website seen as his mouthpiece said Basayev had now offered Putin a deal.

A letter signed by " Abdallakh Shamil, Emir of the Riyadus Salikhin Martyrs' Brigade" - Basayev's pseudonym - said he had written to the Kremlin proposing Chechen " independence in exchange for security."

The letter said the brigade was responsible for explosions in Moscow, the bombings of two planes and the Beslan hostage-taking. But it accused Putin of storming the school, with the loss of 338 lives, "for the sake of imperial ambitions".

Meanwhile, Britain was today embroiled in a diplomatic row with Russia over two London exiles.

The Russian foreign ministry summoned a senior British diplomat to protest at "anti-Russian" comments by Akhmed Zakayev and Boris Berezovsky.