2ND British investigators in Moscow for Litvinenko probe

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dpa German Press Agency
Published: Monday December 4, 2006

Moscow/London- Detectives from London's Scotland Yard arrived in Moscow Monday to investigate the death by polonium poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. Four investigators arrived at Domodedovo Airport, in the Russian capital, as opposed to the nine Russian media had earlier reported would be sent, the news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

The British detectives, RIA said, were carrying plastic boxes and cases with coded locks that appeared to contain technical equipment. The investigators were not available to speak to reporters.

British Home Secretary John Reid said earlier that the investigations would "proceed as normal, whatever the diplomatic or whatever the wider considerations."

Meanwhile Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking in Brussels, warned Monday that "continued suggestions" of official Russian involvement in Litvinenko's death could harm bilateral relations.

He had spoken to his British counterpart, Margaret Beckett, about the "necessity to avoid any kind of politicization of this matter, this tragedy," Lavrov said.

The Russians are understood to be "angry" with the British authorities for "allowing" Litvinenko to have a statement read out after his death in which he personally accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible.

Commentators in London said Prime Minister Tony Blair was "concerned" at the potential damage being done to relations with Moscow over the increasingly murky affair.

The detectives are likely to want to speak to Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB officer who met Litvinenko at a London hotel on November 1, as well as two of his business associates.

As the investigations spread outside Britain, Reid Monday informed fellow-European Interior Ministers of the progress in the inquiry and his assessment of any health risks.

Speaking in Brussels, Reid said he would tell his counterparts in the European Union (EU) that the health threat from polonium-210 was "absolutely minimal, as far as we can tell."

Moscow had earlier offered to "co-operate fully" with the British inquiry.

Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed Monday that the Russian Embassy in London had issued visas - active as of Monday - to police officers from London's Scotland Yard.

Litvinenko died November 23 after falling violently ill following two separate meetings on November 1 with an Italian contact, Mario Scaramella, and Russian contacts.

Since then, British authorities have discovered traces of the radioactive polonium at at least 12 venues in London, as well as radioactive traces on British Airways planes travelling between London and Moscow.

Small traces of polonium-210 have also been found in the urine of Litvinenko's wife, Marina.

Scaramella, 36, was Monday still under observation in a London hospital after testing positive for radiation last Friday.

Doctors at London's University College Hospital said the academic was displaying "no symptoms of radiation" and was "well with normal test results."

However, Scaramella's lawyer, Sergio Rastrelli, has said his client was "clearly worried" about the situation.

British media have reported that the FBI in the US had launched its own investigation into the Cold War-style spy case.

Litvinenko had sought British citizenship after becoming a sharp critic of Russia's intelligence services, the FSB, and President Putin. His friends have said that he blamed the FSB for his poisoning.

British press reports have said that the spy had secret dossiers he may have intended to use to blackmail high-powered figures in the shadowy underworlds of Russian emigre businessmen and Chechen terrorism.

Many in Russia have also speculated that enemies of the Kremlin may have killed Litvinenko to discredit the Putin regime.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency