A businessman who offered a reward of 1 million rubles for information about the killer of a Moscow priest is looking to the Federal Security Service for protection after a Chechen rebel web site asked him to make good on his promise.

 

Vasily Boiko, director of the company Vash Finansovy Popechitel, or Your Financial Guardian, wants FSB protection after a rebel web site posted information about the killer of Moscow Orthodox priest Daniil Sysoyev, a well-known critic of Islam who was gunned down by an unidentified attacker in November, Kommersant reported Tuesday.

 

The Hunafa.com rebel web site announced on Dec. 25 that Sysoyev was killed by “an Islam follower who had never been in the North Caucasus” and who “took an oath before the Sharif of Muslims Abu Usman.”

 

On the same day, another rebel web site, Kavkazcenter.com, published a report about the announcement on Hunafa.com and declared that Boiko had to pay the promised reward of 1 million rubles ($34,000), Kommersant said. The report also contained links to the web site of Boiko’s company, which includes pictures of Boiko, the report said.

 

The Dec. 25 entry could not be found on Kavkazcenter.com Tuesday.

 

Boiko planned to send a letter to the FSB on Tuesday, asking for protection, the report said.

 

The FSB made no immediate comment on whether it would offer protection.

 

Boiko, meanwhile, faces other problems. He is under investigation on suspicion of large-scale fraud involving real estate.