Russian KGB and Cold War alive and well?

[irishgrl]

Russian dissident dies after being allegedly poisoned:

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Poisoned ex-Russian spy dies

By Deborah Haynes1 hour, 59 minutes ago

Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko died in a London hospital on Thursday three weeks after he was poisoned in what friends said was a plot orchestrated by the Kremlin.

Russia has dismissed the allegation as nonsense, saying it was silly to suggest the Kremlin wanted to kill Litvinenko, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The 43-year-old former spy, who had been fighting for his life in intensive care, died at 9.21 p.m. (2121 GMT), said Jim Down, a spokesman for University College Hospital.

But doctors said they still did not know exactly what caused Litvinenko's death. "The medical team at the hospital did everything possible to save his life," said Down.

British police said they were investigating what they called the "unexplained" death.

If Moscow were found to have had a hand in his poisoning there could be far-reaching diplomatic consequences. It would be the first such incident known to have taken place in the West since the Cold War.

"THE BASTARDS"

"The bastards got me. But they won't get everybody," Litvinenko told friend and filmmaker Andrei Nekrasov before losing consciousness earlier this week. The comments were published in an early edition of Friday's Times newspaper.

Litvinenko, who fled to Britain in 2000 with his wife and son and was granted asylum, said he fell ill after meeting two Russians at a hotel.

He had been investigating the killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, also a vocal critic of Putin, who was gunned down at her Moscow flat on October 7.

Britain's anti-terrorism police were called in to investigate the case after doctors determined last week his illness was caused by poison.

A source in a Russian delegation with Putin, who is in Helsinki for an EU-Russia summit, told reporters: "It is a human tragedy. The man was poisoned.

"But the accusations towards the Kremlin are so unbelievable, they are too silly to be commented on by the president or anyone from the Russian side," said the source, asking not to be identified.

Litvinenko served in the KGB's counter-intelligence department and then the Federal Security Service's (FSB) highly secret organized crime group. The FSB is the main successor organization to the Soviet KGB and deals with internal threats.

In 1998, he turned on his former comrades and said at a Moscow news conference -- with men in masks who claimed to be Russian secret service men -- that senior FSB officers had planned to murder Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky.

He was arrested several times by his former employers at the FSB but was freed by a court and charges were dropped.

Litvinenko co-authored a book in 2002 entitled "Blowing up Russia: Terror from Within," in which he alleged FSB agents coordinated apartment block bombings in Russia that killed more than 300 people in 1999.

Russian officials blamed the bombings on Chechen separatist rebels.

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re: Anna Politkovskaya....

http://tchetchenieparis.free.fr/text...ya-16-3-02.htm

Disquiet On The Chechen Front

Anna Politkovskaya, Russia


BY YURI ZARAKHOVICH | MOSCOW

Anna Politkovskaya, a correspondent for the Moscow biweekly Novaya Gazeta, was in Los Angeles last October, picking out her dress for a media awards ceremony, when some staggering news came from Moscow: Chechen terrorists were holding 850 hostages in a theater. The Russian authorities tried to send in negotiators, but the Chechens refused to see most of them. They asked for Politkovskaya.

And so Politkovskaya rushed back to cover yet another episode of one of the world's nastiest and longest wars, which this time had shifted to Moscow. The terrorists, she says, "wanted someone who would accurately report things as they were. My work in Chechnya makes people there feel that I don't lie. But there wasn't much I could do for the hostages anyway." She carried water and fruit juice to them, and reported their dejection and feelings of doom to the world. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed and gassed the theater, killing 41 terrorists and 129 hostages.

Politkovskaya, 44, made her name by writing detailed, accurate and vivid reports on the plight of the civilian population in Chechnya, caught in the horrors of war since 1994. She tells stories of people who are taken from their homes at night and never come back; about extrajudicial executions; about the hungry refugees in cold and damp camps. "It was the refugee problem that started it," she now recalls. When the second Chechen war began in 1999, tens of thousands of refugees began flooding the makeshift relief camps. "It was horrible to stand among the refugees in the field in October 1999, and see cruise missiles flying over your head," she recalls.

When those missiles hit a market in Grozny, it was only prompt coverage by journalists like Politkovskaya that forced the Russian commanders to let ambulances in and refugees out. "Our work is a lever to help people as much as we can," she believes. But it also causes trouble. In February 2000, the FSB (the former KGB) arrested Politkovskaya in the Vedeno district of Chechnya. They kept her in a pit for three days without food or water. "It was important not to let them kill me on the first day," she says. A year later, a Russian officer whose war crimes Politkovskaya had exposed threatened to kill her. Novaya Gazeta had to hide her in Austria for a while. The officer is now awaiting trial on charges of war crimes committed in Chechnya that Politkovskaya was the first to report. "But I don't feel victorious," she says. "I only feel that we're all involved in a great tragedy."

Her editors have had to stand up to pressure from the Kremlin, which is often infuriated by her reporting. Novaya Gazeta balances on the brink of forcible closure. "Well, it goes with the job," she shrugs. Politkovskaya has long since learned to keep her anxieties in check. As she arranges yet another trip to Chechnya, she may now be too famous to be targeted by the FSB. But she really doesn't think about such things. "If you don't have the strength to control your emotions, you're of no help to the people who are in such shock and pain. You only add to their burden," she says.

©TIME. Printed on Thursday, November 23, 2006

Anna recently lost her life under questionable circumstances.............
apparently anyone who dares to question Putin is killed???

another article:

UUTISIA - SUOMI-TSHETSHENIA-SEURA

- PÄÄSIVU - UUTISIA - ARTIKKELEITA - SEURA - MIELIPITEITÄ

Novaya Gazeta

What happened to Anna Politkovskaya?

Details about the health status of our reporter and the events of 1 - 2
September in Rostov-on-Don.

In the days of this tragedy, hundreds of our colleagues, civil servants,
readers were interested in our reporter's fate. They assumed that her
presence in Beslan could be useful. But Politkovskaya didn't arrive in
Beslan.

...First of September, evening. Politkovskaya is sent to "Vnukovo" in
the editorial staff car. Before that she had been in contact with a
number of Russian politicians and Maskhadov's representative in London,
Ahmed Zakayev. The essence of his proposals: All who can get into
contact with the terrorists are obliged to do this immediately. Without
calculating the consequences. To save the children. "Let Maskhadov go
and negotiate with them". Zakayev conveys that Maskhadov is ready to do
this without any conditions and guarantees.

At "Vnukovo", flights to Vladikavkaz are cancelled. Flights to the
nearest cities are cancelled as well. Politkovskaya is checked in three
times, and three times she can't leave. The editorial staff gives the
order: to Rostov, and from there by car. The "Karat" airline takes Anna
on board.

A necessary detail: Politkovskaya hadn't had the time to eat for the
whole day. On the aircraft (she is an experienced person) she refused
the food, she had brought her own porridge. She felt very well. She only
asked the flight attendant for tea. And ten minutes after drinking it
she lost consciousness, but had the time to call the attendant.

Later she remembers everything in fragments. The phantastic efforts of
the doctors of the aid station at Rostov Airport. They tried to get her
out of the coma and succeeded. The brilliant work of the doctors of the
Infection Department at Clinic No. 1 in Rostov. Under miserable
conditions they resuscitated her with all their improvised materiel -
they even coated plastic bottles containing hot water. Dropper, needles,
in the morning - stable consciousness.

Grigory Yavlinksy, our colleagues from "Izvestia" (Special Correspondent
Vladimir But), General Solodovnikov made all efforts so that the
physicians would manage an "almost hopeless" task, according to the
doctors. They succeeded.

On the evening of 3 September, with the help of our friends (thank you,
Messrs. bankers!), Anna was taken on a private airplane to one of the
Moscow clinics. The Rostov doctors gathered to send her on the way. The
analysis by the Rostov laboratory isn't ready yet. And the first
analyses, which were made already at the airport, were destroyed for
unknown reasons. The Moscow doctors directly stated: the toxin is so far
unknown, but it entered the organism from outside, in the aircraft.

Until the explanation of all circumstances, we don't want to voice the
"conspiracy version". However, the situation with the journalist from
"Svoboda", Babitsky, taken from the flight to the North Caucasus on
suspicion of transporting explosives (!) (of course they didn't find
any), and the case of Politkovskaya force us to assume that the attempt
was made to prevent a number of journalists who have a name in Chechnya
from shedding light on the tragedy in Beslan.

Politkovskaya is now at home under the care of doctors. In their
opinion, an unknown toxin has seriously affected her kidney, liver and
endocrine system. What will be needed for rehabilitation is impossible
to know, unfortunately.

Well, why aren't the service members who are so concerned about
Politkovskaya's activity, interested in her profession, after all? To
prevent terrorist acts, for example?


Sergey SOKOLOV, Dmitriy MURATOV, our special corr., Rostov-on-Don - Moscow
NovayaGazeta.Ru, 04.09.2004

http://www.novayagazeta.ru/sob/politkovskaya.shtml

this next bit is from a blog about Anna:

Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent critic of the Vladimir Putin administration, is murdered in Moscow.

Putin Promises Politkovskaya Investigation
By Catherine Belton and Oksana Yablokova
Staff Writers of The Moscow Times

President Vladimir Putin vowed Monday to track down the killers of Anna Politkovskaya, while her colleagues at Novaya Gazeta pledged to continue her work despite dangers.

In a telephone conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush, Putin said "all necessary efforts will be made for an objective investigation into the tragic death," the Kremlin said.

I find this news ought to draw more international attention and investigation than North Korean's fart.

Of course, every Western outlet reported on the sad news. But can't UN send its blessing to instantiate an international independent investigation team for one person's death?

I believe UN should put 1 homocide at a time as such on its agenda, not dumping disproportional efforts on 1 stupid mean-little bomb by a devastated state power according to US's wish. North Korean wants direct talk with US anyway.

[DrummerDeanna]

They've been following the poisoning (which is not not being called a poisoning) on NPR since for a bit..I'm completely fascinated by this whole thing - so thanks for the above...I'm gonna dive right into reading it all

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

They've been following the poisoning (which is not not being called a poisoning) on NPR since for a bit..I'm completely fascinated by this whole thing - so thanks for the above...I'm gonna dive right into reading it all

I read about Anna before she died, how brave she was and how she refused to buckle, knowing that her life was in danger.......she went where the story was even at the risk of losing her own life. My question is: who is Putin and why is he so afraid of scrutiny???

[PsychCat]

Thanks for posting that... incredibly fascinating stuff.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

My question is: who is Putin and why is he so afraid of scrutiny???

I cannot answer that for fear of my coffee getting poisoned tomorrow

On a more serious note -this is some crazy stuff...so fascinating - and yes, Anna Politkovskaya was amazing and brave, and that mysterious health incident and her murder are most likely not random and not accidents. And I do tend to think this Alexandr guy was poisoned as well even though they're now trying to backtrack on that one.

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

I cannot answer that for fear of my coffee getting poisoned tomorrow

On a more serious note -this is some crazy stuff...so fascinating - and yes, Anna Politkovskaya was amazing and brave, and that mysterious health incident and her murder are most likely not random and not accidents. And I do tend to think this Alexandr guy was poisoned as well even though they're now trying to backtrack on that one.

We may hate Monkey boy but at least he hasnt resorted to poison. I guess he's too stoopid to know that people are on to him.

Putin on the other hand has no such scruples, apparently, and no such compunction against offing his detractors. We can all speculate until the cows come home and what exactly happens? you got it: nada. Must be nice to be Putin.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

We may hate Monkey boy but at least he hasnt resorted to poison.

That we know of

[gldstwmn]

Very strange case.

[irishgrl]

UPDATE: Rare radioactive substance found in dead agent's body:

Radioactive traces found in spy death probe

By Peter GraffFri Nov 24, 6:06 PM ET

British police have found traces of a rare radioactive substance at three locations in London visited by a poisoned former KGB spy, who accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of his murder from beyond the grave.

Alexander Litvinenko died on Thursday night after a three week illness that saw his hair fall out, his body waste away and his organs slowly fail. In a statement read out after his death, he accused Putin of what would be the Kremlin's first political assassination in the West since the Cold War.

"You may succeed in silencing one man. But a howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life," he said.

Putin shrugged off the charge as a "political provocation," but tremors could be felt of what could become a diplomatic earthquake if evidence supports a Kremlin link to the killing.

Britain summoned the Russian ambassador in London to ask for help solving the case, and British officials said they had found the rare radioactive substance polonium 210 in Litvinenko's body.

"What we have is an unprecedented event in the U.K. -- that someone has apparently been deliberately been poisoned with a type of radiation," Health Protection Agency chief Pat Troop told reporters.

Police said they found the substance at Litvinenko's home and at two other London locations he visited on the day he fell ill -- a hotel where he met another ex-KGB spy visiting from Moscow, and a sushi restaurant where he met an Italian academic.

The locations were cordoned off. Police were seen removing material in a metal box from the central London sushi bar.

"POLITICAL PROVOCATION"

Putin, meeting EU officials in Helsinki, insisted no evidence linked the Kremlin to the killing.

"It is a great pity that even something as tragic as a man's death is being used for political provocation," Putin said. "I hope the British authorities would not contribute to instigating political scandals. It has nothing to do with reality."

But the use of such a rare radioactive isotope -- which can be made only in a nuclear reactor -- suggested to experts that only a very sophisticated organization, if not a powerful state, could be behind the crime.

"This is not some random killing. This is not a tool chosen by a group of amateurs. These people had some serious resources behind them," Dr Andrea Sella, lecturer in chemistry at University College London, told Reuters.

Litvinenko, who became a British citizen last month, was one of a group of Putin opponents who have clustered in London, frequently attracting Moscow's scorn.

A Russian ex-spy came forward in Moscow to acknowledge that he was the man who met Litvinenko at a London hotel with another Russian the day he suddenly fell ill.

The man, Andrei Lugovoy, said in a statement they had met to discuss a business project and he had nothing to do with Litvinenko's death.

[DavidMn]

Sometimes you get too close to the fire and you get burned.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

My question is: who is Putin and why is he so afraid of scrutiny???

at en.wikipedia.org about Putin, The link is below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin


Here's an interesting part of the wikipedia entry about Putin and how, since he was elected, the accussation of the number of poisonings has increased.

"According to Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer, "since Putin assumed power in Russia, poisoning has been one of the preferred political tools used by the Kremlin." It has been alleged that Putin ordered the poisoning of two political opponents in recent years: Viktor Yushchenko, then candidate for the presidency of Ukraine, with dioxin in September 2004, and Alexander Litvinenko, former KGB agent and vocal critic of Putin, with radioactive polonium-210, in November 2006. Yushchenko was extremely disfigured by the event, and Litvinenko died after several days of failed treatment.

Litvinenko allegedly was in the payroll of Boris Berezovsky, an anti-Putin tycoon who lives in the United Kingdom and is on Interpol's Wanted List. John Henry, a toxicologist who examined Litvinenko before his death, said the type of polonium involved is "only found in government-controlled institutions." At the time of his death, Litvinenko was looking into the killing of Russian investigative journalist and Putin critic Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot to death in her apartment on October 7, 2006, Putin's birthday, after an apparent previous attempt to poison her failed. Putin denounced the manipulation of Litvinenko's death as a "political provocation". He also promised to render every necessary support in investigation of the murder to the British police on behalf of Russian authorities, should such investigation take place.

Possibly poisoned by polonium-210 in recent years were KGB defector Nikolay Khokhlov and Russian journalist Yuri Shchekochikhin. In these cases, tests for polonium-210 were not carried out, as it was "unheard of as a poison" before November 2006. The symptoms were consistent with polonium-210 poisoning, however."

[irishgrl]

and here is the latest twist:

Radiation found on two jets in spy probe

Officials found traces of radiation on two British Airways jets, and the airline appealed Wednesday to tens of thousands of passengers who flew to Moscow or other cities to come forward — the latest twist in the inquiry into the poisoning death of a former Russian spy.

The airline said the "risk to public health is low," adding that it was in the process of contacting tens of thousands of passengers who flew on the jets.

Two planes at London's Heathrow Airport tested positive for traces of radiation and a third jet was taken out of service in Moscow awaiting examination, British Airways said.

Natalia Remnyova, administrator at Domodedovo Airport, the Moscow airport used by British Airways, said she knew nothing of a plane grounded there. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he could not comment because he had no information about the matter.

The airline said it was contacted by the British government Tuesday night and told to ground the jets and to let investigators looking into the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko test them for radiation.

High doses of polonium-210 — a rare radioactive element usually made in specialized nuclear facilities — were found in Litvinenko's body, and traces of radiation have been found at sites in London connected with the inquiry into his death.

It was not immediately clear how radioactive traces got on the British Airways planes. Authorities refused to specify whether the substance detected on the jets was polonium-210.

All three planes had been on the London-Moscow route, British Airways said. In the last three weeks, the planes had also traveled to routes across Europe including Barcelona, Frankfurt and Athens. Around 33,000 passengers had traveled on 221 flights on those planes, said Kate Gay, an airline spokeswoman.

"The airline is in the process of making contact with customers who have traveled on flights operated by these aircraft, which operate within Europe," British Airways said in a statement.

"British Airways understands that from advice it has been given that the risk to public health is low," the airline statement said.

The airline has published the flights affected on its Web site, and advised customers who took the flights to contact a special help-line set up by the British Health Ministry.

Litvinenko, a former colonel with Russia's Federal Security Service — the successor agency to the KGB — had been a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin before his death from radiation poisoning on Nov. 23. From his deathbed, he blamed Putin for his poisoning. Putin has strongly denied the charge.

Britain's Home Secretary John Reid, who chaired a meeting of COBRA, the government's emergency committee, said tests on the planes were part of a wider scientific investigation into sites that could be linked to Litvinenko's death.

Meanwhile, Italian security expert Mario Scaramella, who was one of the last people to meet with Litvinenko before the former spy fell ill, said tests cleared him of radioactive contamination.

Scaramella came from Rome and met Litvinenko at a sushi bar in London on Nov. 1 — the day the former intelligence agent first reported the symptoms.

"I am fine," Scaramella told The Associated Press by telephone. "I am not contaminated and have not contaminated anybody else."

Scaramella returned to London to undergo tests and talk with the police Tuesday. He said he is in security protection and refused to say where he was.

More than three dozen staff at the two hospitals that treated Litvinenko will be tested for radioactive contamination, Britain's Health Protection Agency said.

The agency said 106 staff at Barnet General Hospital and University College Hospital had been assessed for possible exposure, and 49 would have their urine tested.

The mysterious death has clouded Anglo-Russian relations. Prime Minister Tony Blair said police were determined to find out who was responsible for Litvinenko's death.

"The police investigation will proceed, and I think people should know that there is no diplomatic or political barrier in the way of that investigation," Blair said in Denmark. "It is obviously a very, very serious matter indeed. We are determined to find out what happened and who is responsible."

Media reports in Britain and Russia on Wednesday said that Litvinenko had been engaged in smuggling nuclear substances out of Russia.

The Independent newspaper reported that Litvinenko told Scaramella on the day he fell ill that he had organized the smuggling of nuclear material for his former employers at Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB. The newspaper reported that Litvinenko said he had smuggled radioactive material to Zurich in 2000.

But Scaramella told the AP that he had been misquoted by the newspaper.

"He (Litvinenko) wanted to see me because he knew about smuggling of nuclear material, but as far as I know he was never involved in nuclear smuggling," he said.

London police say they are investigating the case as a "suspicious death" rather than murder, although they have devoted a large anti-terrorist force to the investigation.

Scaramella said he had been cleared of any involvement in the 43-year-old former spy's death.

"Let me take the opportunity to say that I'm not under investigation by any British authority," he said. "I am cooperating with them (the police)." Police declined to say whom they had spoken to.

Scaramella said he showed Litvinenko e-mails from a confidential source identifying the possible killers of Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and listing other potential targets for assassination — including himself and Litvinenko.

Following Litvinenko's death, more than 1,100 people called a health hot line over concerns they might be at risk from polonium poisoning, which is deadly in tiny amounts if ingested or inhaled. Sixty-eight have been referred to health authorities, the Health Protection Agency said — including the 49 hospital staff.

Eight have been referred to a special clinic as a precaution. The tests should take about a week.

Traces of radiation have been found at six sites visited by Litvinenko.

A coroner will perform an autopsy on Litvinenko on Friday, "subject to appropriate precautions," said the local authority responsible, Camden Council. Doctors had sought expert advice on whether Litvinenko's radioactive body posed a threat to those performing the post-mortem.

A coroner's inquest will be opened Thursday and then adjourned until the police investigation is complete, the council said.

___

Associated Press Writers Jill Lawless in London and Ariel David in Rome contributed to this report.

___

On the Net: http://www.ba.com

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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[irishgrl]

UPDATE:

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A U.S.-based friend of a poisoned Russian ex-spy says he has given police the name of a suspect he believes orchestrated the killing of Alexander Litvinenko.

"The truth is, we have an act of international terrorism on our hands. I happen to believe I know who is behind the death of my friend Sasha (Litvinenko) and the reason for his murder," Yuri Shvets said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press by telephone from the United States.

Shvets, also a former Russian intelligence officer, said he had known Litvinenko, who died in London after he was exposed to a rare radioactive element, since 2002 and had spoken to him on November 23, the day he died.

He told AP he was questioned by Scotland Yard officers and an FBI agent in Washington last week. A police official in London confirmed officers had interviewed Shvets.

British police investigating the poisoning death of Litvinenko, 43, have officially requested assistance from their Russian counterparts and are due in Moscow as early as Monday to collect information.

The Russian embassy in London issued visas to the Scotland Yard officers Sunday.

Nine British detectives will speak to witnesses who met the former Russian spy in London shortly before his death. These include Andrei Lugovoi, another former spy who met Litvinenko on November 1 -- the day he fell ill. (Watch as police follow trail of polonium-210 Video)

Lugovoi, also a former Russian agent, agrees he and businessman Dmitry Kovtun met Litvinenko that day at London's Millennium hotel. But Lugovoi, now back in Moscow, says they discussed a business opportunity and he denies anything to do with an attempt on Litvinenko's life.

Litvinenko, a former agent of the Russian state security service, died in London after poisoning with radioactive polonium 210.

From his deathbed, Litvinenko accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his slow and agonizing death, which sparked a health scare in Britain and strained London's relations with Moscow.

The Kremlin denies involvement and has promised full cooperation with the British investigation. Other theories have centered on the possible involvement of rogue Russian agents.

British Home Secretary John Reid reassured fellow EU ministers Monday that the health threat from polonium-210 is "absolutely minimal."

He updated his European counterparts on the latest developments in the inquiry during talks in Brussels -- part of the UK government's policy of widening co-operation as the investigation goes on, the UK's Press Association reported.

Litvinenko's death led to widespread fears that others could have also been contaminated after police grounded three British Airways planes for testing for radioactive substances. All three planes were cleared over the weekend.

Doctors treating Litvinenko's friend, Italian academic Mario Scaramella, said Sunday that he continued to show no symptoms of poisoning. But London's University College Hospital said that further tests were being carried out on Scaramella, who also met Litvinenko at the Itsu sushi bar in Piccadilly, London, on November 1.(Watch Scaramella say how he told spy they were both on a secret hit list Video)

In an interview with Italy's RAI TG1 evening television news Scaramella said doctors had told him that his body contains five times the dose of polonium-210 considered deadly. "So my mood isn't the best," he told the channel. (Watch scientists working with polonium in a lab Video)

Also among those British police may want to see in Russia is former intelligence officer Mikhail Trepashkin, who is now serving a four-year sentence in an Urals prison for divulging state secrets.

In letters smuggled out of Russia last week Trepashkin claimed that a secret hit squad had been set up to target Litvinenko and others in 2002 and offered himself as a witness in the British investigation.

Litvinenko's friend Alex Goldfarb told Reuters: "Mr Trepashkin has substantive information that might be of interest to investigators and his lawyers are prepared to facilitate contact with him.

He said Trepashkin was in poor health, adding "this could be the only opportunity that the British authorities have to speak to him."

Goldfarb also paid tribute to Litvinenko's wife Marina, who has herself tested positive for a low level of radiation.

"She is a very strong woman, I am actually surprised how well she has coped," he told PA.

Mrs. Litvinenko and her son 12-year-old Anatole, were joined by close friends including Litvinenko's friend and sponsor, Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky and Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev for an emotional meal on Friday night to mark the ninth day since the spy's death. Within the Russian Orthodox tradition the ninth day after a death is a significant milestone.

Britain's Health Protection Agency said Sunday 27 people have now been referred for tests for possible radiation exposure.