The mystery regarding the whereabouts of the Turkish Kurd rebel leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who left Italy on Saturday, has deepened.

After meeting the Russian ambassador to Ankara, the Turkish Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit, said reliable sources have confirmed that Mr Ocalan's plane landed at a small airport near Moscow.

Mr Ocalan has left a trail of diplomatic chaos

But he went on to say that the Russian authorities did not know of its arrival and are investigating.

It all sounds rather improbable, but Mr Ecevit said he was convinced that the Russian Government still had good intentions.

Two months ago the Russian Prime Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, gave Turkey his personal guarantee that Mr Ocalan would never be allowed back onto Russian soil.

Since then the plot has certainly thickened and Ankara is awash with rumours. One theory is that elements in Russia sympathetic to the Kurds may be acting without official approval.

'Unreconstructed murderer'

Other countries as far apart as South Africa, North Korea and Belarus have also been mentioned as possible destinations for Mr Ocalan.

But there are no hard facts. Kurdish sources have said the PKK leader would like to stay in Europe to try to further his political aims.

But Turkey regards him as an unreconstructed murderer and it has made it clear that any country which gives him shelter will face the full force of Turkish anger.