Moscow:  Four men have been charged in connection with the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, investigators said today, but her former editor complained the case was far from solved.

"Three suspects have been charged with the murder of the journalist: Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov," the Investigations Committee said in a statement announcing the end of the high-profile murder inquiry.

A fourth man, Pavel Ryaguzov, an officer in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the former KGB, has been charged with abuse of power and extortion in connection with the inquiry, the statement said.

But the suspected gunman, Rustam Makhmudov, remains at large, a spokeswoman for the committee said, adding that the case is now expected to go to trial but giving no further details about motives or circumstances of the murder.

Murad Musayev, a lawyer for one of the men, said his client would request a trial by jury and called the investigators decision to release four other men arrested in the inquiry a "rarity," RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The 2006 murder of Politkovskaya prompted international outrage, with accusations from around the world that Russian authorities were at best failing to protect the country s few remaining independent journalists.

The editor of Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper where Politkovskaya worked, said the investigation was far from complete considering that neither the person who ordered the contract murder nor the killer had been found.

"The case has not been solved.... This announcement does not satisfy the newsroom or members of Anna Politkovskaya s family. We insist that this case is followed through," Dmitry Muratov was quoted as saying by the Gazeta.ru daily.

Source : PTI