MOSCOW, August 25 - RAPSI. Former police Lt. Col. Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, suspected of organizing the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, was brought to a Moscow district court for it to decide what restrictive measures to impose upon him, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) reported.

According to Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin, investigators discovered that in late July 2006 Pavlyuchenkov was paid to mastermind Politkovskayas murder. He organized a gang that included, among others, the three Makhmudov brothers. He bought the weapon, organized the plan, and delegated duties amongst the gang members.

Politkovskaya, well-known for her investigative journalism on human rights offenses in Chechnya, was killed in the elevator of her home on Lesnaya Street in Moscow, on October 7, 2006. Investigators have stated they believe her journalism fed the motive for her murder.