/ 30 November 2006

UK radiation probe widens

Britain said on Thursday it was monitoring five planes for radiation and pledged to contact every country they had visited in a widening investigation into the poisoning of a former Russian spy.

Home Secretary John Reid told Parliament radioactive traces had been found at 12 of 24 locations being investigated and promised there would be no political barriers to the probe, which has heightened tensions with Moscow.

The Kremlin and Russia’s foreign spy service have denied any involvement in the death of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who became an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin.

He died in London a week ago after being poisoned with radioactive polonium 210.

British Airways said three aircraft had been taken out of service. All had flown between Moscow and London, and one is still in Moscow.

The airline said ”very low traces” of a radioactive substance had been found on the two planes being held in London.

Reid told Parliament scientists were monitoring a fourth aircraft for possible radioactive contamination. The plane, a Boeing 737 leased by the Russian carrier Transaero, arrived at London’s Heathrow airport on Thursday morning, he said.

Reid said Britain was also interested in a fifth plane — a Russian aircraft — and there could be more.

”Those are the five we know of,” he told Parliament.

The announcement about the planes and their destinations may rekindle suspicions of a Moscow link to the death of Litvinenko. He accused Putin of ordering his murder.

Reid, echoing a commitment made by Prime Minister Tony Blair, said: ”There certainly will be no political prohibition on the police following where the evidence leads them.” — Reuters