Headless body named as journalist

Kuchma has denied any involvement in Gongadze's disappearance

KIEV, Ukraine -- A headless body found in November has been identified -- for a second time -- as that of a missing Ukrainian journalist.

The disappearance in September of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze, an outspoken critic of high-level corruption, sparked a political crisis, with President Leonid Kuchma accused of involvement.

The body was examined by an FBI DNA expert and a forensic pathologist from the U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Ukraine's urging after doubt was expressed over an identification by Russian experts.

However, the findings confirmed the conclusion by the Russian experts that the body was Gongadze, but the experts could not determine the cause of death because the head has not been found and because of the time that has elapsed, said first deputy state prosecutor Mykola Harnyk.

He said the death occurred two to three months before the body was found in November, Associated Press reported.

Opposition movements have accused Kuchma of involvement in Gongadze's slaying, citing audio recordings allegedly made by a fugitive presidential bodyguard.

Kuchma and other officials have denied any involvement in the case, but the opposition has staged frequent protests in recent months.

The demonstrations were joined by those angry with Kuchma for his social and economic

The earlier identification by Russian experts was questioned by German experts who examined samples supposedly taken from the body by Gongadze's associates.

To clarify the matter, Ukraine then asked the U.S., Germany and Russia for help in additional analysis.

Harnyk said the U.S. team took saliva samples from Gongadze's young daughters, who along with his wife Myroslava and the bodyguard involved in the case have received political asylum in the U.S..

Prosecutors have informed Gongadze's relatives of the findings and intend to offer them to take the body for burial, he said.

Referring to comments from the slain journalist's mother that she would not bury the body until cause of death is established, Harnyk said: "This is the right of every person, then we shall preserve it."

Harnyk noted that it would be difficult to investigate the case without the cause of death being established, but added that he did not agree with the recent pessimistic assessment of Interior Minister Yuriy Smirnov.

"I cannot say that this case has reached a dead end," he said.

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Ukranian Parliament
Federal Bureau of Investigation

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