Litvinenko Investigation Takes Bizarre Turn
A J Strata
see the Litvinenko investigation taking a very bizarre turn (read to the end please), as the media and authorities try to keep a grasp on the assassination theory and dismissing the possibility of a smuggling effort. We were one of the first sites to propose Litvinenko was not poisoned all at once but over a period of multiple exposures. And at the time I pointed out this would indicate a smuggling effort with Litvinenko repeatedly coming into contact with the contraband and being poisoned in stages. The evidence of this was the timing of the hair loss, which put one incident around the 16th of October and the first of three possible smuggling rounds of Polonium-210 which coincided with Lugovoi meeting Litvinenko and UK security firms.
Now we have further confirmation of the smuggling theory as the authorities now admit the poisoning was not a one time event:
Scotland Yard officers are also investigating whether the former spy was first poisoned with polonium-210 several days earlier than previously reported. Investigators believe Mr Litvinenko may have been contaminated twice, with the second attack taking place at a central London hotel several days after the first “hit”. ...
Read the whole thing, people. Sleep well tonight.
*** Update and bump. Original timestamp 2007.01.06.11:45
Spymania: Was Litvinenko poisoned twice?
Allahpundit
Actually, this makes sense. Sort of.
Investigators initially believed Mr Litvinenko was first poisoned at the Itsu sushi bar in Piccadilly, central London, when he met Mario Scaramella, an Italian espionage expert, for lunch on 1 November. The Japanese restaurant was the first place that traces of polonium were detected.
But detectives are understood to be investigating whether Mr Litvinenko was poisoned several days earlier. They are examining his movements and meetings, particularly with Russian contacts, in the previous days.
Toxicology results from Mr Litvinenko’s post-mortem examination revealed two “spikes” of radiation poisoning, suggesting he received two separate doses. The second attack is almost certain to have taken place at the Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair. Eight hotel staff have tested positive for polonium-210. So has a tea cup.
Investigators already suspected that he might have been poisoned in mid-October, when he first met Lugovoy and Kovtun. The three of them visited the offices of Risc Management at the time; traces of polonium were found there later. But how could he have absorbed such a massive dose — ten times the amount needed to kill a man, according to UK cops — and remained in good health for another 18 days? Answer: he didn’t. They probably gave him a small dose on the first attempt in hopes that medical examiners wouldn’t be able to detect it. Trouble was, it ended up being too small to kill him. So they met him again on November 1 at the bar and gave him a massive dose to make sure it would do the job. And it did, but too well. ...
