"Litvinenko Radiation Probe in U.K. Extended to Five Planes; One Is Cleared"

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Litvinenko Radiation Probe Extended to Five Planes; One Cleared 
By Alex Morales
Bloomberg News


The U.K. inquiry into the radiation poisoning of former Russian spy
Alexander Litvinenko extended to five airliners, including three from
British Airways Plc, as authorities said homicide charges are possible over
his death. 

One of the planes, from Russia's Transaero Airlines, was cleared of
radiation risk after checks at London's Heathrow airport following a flight
today from Moscow, a spokeswoman for airport operator BAA Plc said in a
telephone interview. 

Home Secretary John Reid earlier told Parliament the Transaero plane and a
fifth, unspecified airliner were ``of interest'' to investigators. British
Airways is contacting 33,000 passengers and 3,000 staff members after traces
of a radioactive material were found on two of its planes at Heathrow and a
third was grounded in Moscow as part of the investigation. 

Authorities haven't said whether the radiation was from polonium 210, the
radioactive substance found in Litvinenko's body. Polonium 210 radiation,
which travels only a few centimeters and can be stopped by a sheet of paper,
is a danger only if it is ingested, breathed or enters a wound. 

``The risk to public health is low,'' Reid said, advising passengers to
check the British Airways Web site or phone its helpline or the National
Health Service. 

Authorities involved in the widening investigation have already detected
polonium contamination in at least 12 of 24 locations searched, Reid said.
More than 170 people are undergoing or have taken tests for radiation,
according to the U.K. Health Protection Agency. 

``Police continue to trace possible witnesses and examine Mr. Litvinenko's
movements at relevant times,'' Reid said. ``It is probable that the
investigation will continue to bring additional locations to our attention
for screening.'' 

Homicide Possible 

Litvinenko, who had publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's
government, died in a London hospital on Nov. 23 with what authorities
described as a ``significant quantity'' of polonium 210 in his body. 

In a message he wrote before he lost consciousness, Litvinenko, who had
become a British citizen, said he was poisoned because of his criticism of
Putin's government, an allegation Putin has denied. Police said they are
treating the death as ``suspicious,'' and are considering all options. 

Coroner 

Dr. Andrew Reid, a north London coroner, today opened an inquest into
Litvinenko's death, and adjourned the case pending an autopsy that will be
held tomorrow. The post-mortem examination will involve three pathologists:
one approved by the Home Office, another appointed by the former spy's
widow, and an independent expert. 

``There is the possibility that someone may be charged with homicide in Mr.
Litvinenko's case,'' the coroner said during today's proceedings. ``Police
are investigating further the circumstances by which Mr. Litvinenko was
exposed to or administered with'' polonium. 

Alex Goldfarb, a friend of Litvinenko who has acted as his family's
spokesman, told reporters outside the court that the investigation into
flights originating from Russia backs up the theory that Putin's government
may be involved. Some of the flights were before Nov. 1, when the former spy
became ill, suggesting Litvinenko wasn't the source of any contamination of
airliners, Goldfarb said. 

``We still believe that this is a murder perpetrated by the agents of the
Russian intelligence services,'' Goldfarb said. ``I strongly suspect that
the origin of this material is in Moscow,'' he said, referring to polonium
210. 

Russian Cooperation 

Reid said Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett spoke yesterday with her
Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, who assured her ``cooperation would be
forthcoming.'' 

The British Airways planes were used on 221 flights between Heathrow and
Moscow, Barcelona, Athens, Dusseldorf, Larnaca, Stockholm, Vienna,
Frankfurt, Madrid and Istanbul, the airline said on its Web site.
Thirty-three of the flights were to or from Moscow, including seven in
October. 

``Controls on radioactive security in international airports in the Russian
Federation have been strengthened'' in response to the discovery of
radiation, Russia's Transport Ministry said today in a statement posted on
its Web site. 

British Airways, Europe's third-biggest carrier, said yesterday that it took
the three Boeing 767 aircraft out of service, two in London and one in
Moscow, after scientists found ``very low traces of a radioactive
substance'' on two of them. The airline said it's waiting for government
advice before bringing the third plane back to London. 

British Airways shares today fell by 1.3 percent to 489 pence ($9.57) as of
2:45 p.m. London time. 

Helpline 

British Airways has set up a special helpline for customers in the U.K. at
0845-6040171, or +44-191-2113690 for callers from abroad. The National
Health Service Direct helpline is 0845 4647. 

Litvinenko first reported feeling ill on Nov. 1 after meeting with a friend
at the Itsu sushi restaurant on Piccadilly, in central London. Later that
day, he went to the Millennium Hotel Mayfair, in central London's Grosvenor
Square. 

London buildings where polonium traces were detected include the restaurant
and the Millennium Hotel, as well as Litvinenko's home in Muswell Hill and
addresses in Mayfair at 25 and 58 Grosvenor Street and 7 Down Street, the
Health Protection Agency said. Officers have also examined the Sheraton Park
Lane Hotel. 

The agency said yesterday it's ``satisfied that there is no contamination
that would pose a public health risk'' in either Barnet Hospital or
University College London Hospital, the two locations where the former
security service officer was treated. 

Still, 160 health workers at the two facilities were assessed as being at
potential risk of contamination, and 52 of them were asked to submit urine
samples, the results of which will be ready within a week, the agency said. 

Urine samples were also requested from another 105 people, including staff
and visitors to the buildings under investigation. Another 21 people have
been referred to a specialized clinic after showing symptoms that could
result from exposure to polonium 210, authorities said.

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