MOSCOW – Russian prosecutors have named a Chechen rebel warlord as the mastermind behind the high profile slaying last year of New York born Paul Klebnikov, editor of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine.

The killing was ordered by a former deputy prime minister in the Chechen separatist government, Kozh-Akhmed Nukhayev, who was the subject of a book by Klebnikov, “Conversations with a Barbarian,” the prosecutor general’s office said.

“Nukhayev paid members of a criminal group to kill Klebnikov because of negative comments regarding Nukhayev in his book,” an unidentified spokesman for prosecutors told the Interfax news agency.

Prosecutors said the investigation into Klebnikov’s murder was complete and that five Chechens, two of whom are already in custody, have been charged in the killing. They named Kazbek Dukuzov and Musa Vakhayev as the suspects in detention and said a hunt was on for Mr. Nukhayev and two others, Magomed Edilsultanov and Magomed Dukuzov.

Klebnikov interviewed Mr. Nukhayev, a shadowy Moscow Mafia figure who became a rebel fighter in the 1990s, in the Azeri capital, Baku, for the 2003 book. Mr. Nukhayev’s current whereabouts are unknown, although he was known to be living in Qatar two years ago.

Klebnikov was gunned down outside his offices last July and died in an ambulance while being rushed to hospital. His murder shocked even Russia, where contract killings are common and journalists who investigate corruption or organized crime are often murdered. Speculation swirled about the motive for killing Klebnikov, 41, an American citizen born in New York to a family of Russian emigres.

Prosecutors have long contended that Chechen extremists were behind the killing, but many experts doubt the theory, saying Chechens make for an easy scapegoat.

The director of the Center of Journalism in Extreme Situations, Oleg Panfilov, said it seemed unlikely that Mr. Nukhayev had ordered the killing.

“There have been lots of bad books written about Chechens,” he said. “Why go after Klebnikov?”

Mr. Panfilov suggested that prosecutors were anxious to announce a resolution to the case amid pressure from American authorities and Klebnikov’s family. Klebnikov’s brother, Michael, also cast doubt on the theory.

“It’s somewhat surprising because our impression from speaking with Paul after he wrote his book was that Nukhayev was actually pleased with the book and did not react negatively to it,” he told the Associated Press. “It’s extremely important, if this is going to be the first case of 12 or 11 journalists that have been killed in the last five years to be presented in court, it’s going to be extremely important that the prosecution do its job properly and that the evidence be solid.”

Other theories for the murder focused on Klebnikov’s writing about the murky world of Russian business. Shortly before his death, Klebnikov published a list of the 100 wealthiest people in Russia, shining a spotlight on many businessmen who would rather avoid publicity. He had also made an enemy of the exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky with a 1996 article referring to Mr. Berezovsky as the “Godfather of the Kremlin.” Mr. Berezovsky sued Forbes for libel over the article, complaining it connected him with the murder of a prominent Russian television journalist. The suit was withdrawn after Forbes acknowledged there was no evidence of the connection.

Another theory focused on an investigation Klebnikov had reportedly begun just weeks before his killing, after receiving a file that contained extremely sensitive information. Last November, the Kommersant daily quoted investigators as saying the murder was carried out to prevent Klebnikov breaking news that senior officials had stolen funds earmarked for the reconstruction of Chechnya.