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Litvinenko poisoned not once but twice, inquiry hears

January 27, 2015

After years of setbacks, the inquiry into the poisoning death of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko has begun. As he lay dying, the ex-spy blamed Vladimir Putin for giving the order, a charge the Kremlin denies.

https://p.dw.com/p/1ERnx
Robin Tam beim Alexander Litwinenko Gerichtsprozess 27.01.2015 London
Image: picture alliance/empics

The long-awaited inquiry into the death of former Russian spy turned Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko began on Tuesday. During opening statements, attorney Robin Tam (pictured), the inquiry's legal counsel, said the events surrounding Litvinenko's death "would not disgrace the pages of a thriller," before telling Judge Robert Owen that Litvinenko was poisoned not once - as was previously thought - but twice.

Tam said the evidence suggested that Litvinenko had ingested the highly radioactive polonium isotope once in mid-October 2006 and then again two weeks later before it killed him. After Litvinenko became sick, Tam explained, a trail of radiation was discovered across London that may have put "many thousands of members of the public" at risk.

The lawyer told the inquiry it would hear evidence of polonium being found in several places visited by Litvinenko and the two key suspects: Dmitry Kovtun and former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi, who have consistently denied the charges. Tam said he would also produce a witness who says Kovtun asked him if he knew a London cook who could put "very expensive poison" in Litvinenko's food.

Both suspects have been invited to give testimony via video link from Russia.

Deathbed accusation

Litvinenko became violently ill on November 1, 2006 after drinking tea at a London hotel, allegedly with Lugovoi and Kovtun. He died three weeks later of "acute radiation syndrome." On his deathbed, he said "I have no doubt whatsoever this was done by Russian secret service" on the order of President Vladimir Putin.

Alexander Litwinenko
Evidence suggests that Litvinenko was poisoned twice before dying in 2006Image: AP

Russia has always denied involvement, and the incident soured Russian-English relations for years. Moscow refused to extradite Lugovoi and Kovtun, stalling the initial investigation. The inquiry was further halted by British authorities refusing to disclose secret intelligence evidence. Now that evidence will be heard, but behind closed doors.

Public hearings will continue until April, and Owen said he hoped to publish his findings by the end of the year. Tam said the judge would need to consider whether Litvinenko's increasingly outspoken criticism of the Kremlin would have made the Moscow authorities consider him "as an irritant, or worse."

es/kms (AP, AFP, Reuters)