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Russia no longer murders spies: KGB veteran
Reuters via ABC News ^ | Dec 14, 2006 | Louis Charbonneau

Posted on 12/14/2006 12:01:09 PM PST by james500

BERLIN (Reuters) - The head of an organization of former Russian spies was quoted as saying on Thursday Moscow abandoned its policy of assassinating enemies long ago, and that Alexander Litvinenko was probably murdered by criminals.

Former KGB agent Valentin Velichko said fellow former agent Litvinenko, who died in London on November 23 from radiation poisoning, was a traitor but was not killed by Moscow.

"That was long ago. It belonged to the days of Stalin," Velichko, head of the Veterans of Foreign Intelligence, told Die Welt newspaper in an interview. Millions died under the rule of dictator Josef Stalin.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: 2006; 200611; 20061123; assassinationplots; georgimarkov; litvinenko; poison; poisoning; poisonplots; polonium; polonium210; ricin; umbrella; velichko; vfi
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If these guys tell you the sky is blue, I'd strongly suggest checking it out for yourself.
1 posted on 12/14/2006 12:01:11 PM PST by james500
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To: james500

Now...we didn't do it..wink wink


2 posted on 12/14/2006 12:02:48 PM PST by Youngman442002
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To: james500

I'm sure the KGB doesn't (since it doesn't exist anymore)......but what about the FSU?


3 posted on 12/14/2006 12:07:29 PM PST by teacherwoes (A fugitive from a Democratically-controlled Congress)
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To: james500

lol lol lol

Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.


4 posted on 12/14/2006 12:08:20 PM PST by Red6 (Weird thoughts -)
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To: james500

I believe Lenin and Stalin made similar claims.


5 posted on 12/14/2006 12:09:19 PM PST by ozzymandus
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To: teacherwoes
The FSU does not kill defectors, it never has. The sub it out to third party contractors to give deniable.
6 posted on 12/14/2006 12:12:27 PM PST by Hydroshock ( (Proverbs 22:7). The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.)
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To: james500

Outsourcing?


7 posted on 12/14/2006 12:13:22 PM PST by popdonnelly
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To: james500

It was in 2004 when they were in the news for trying to poison the Presidential candidate of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko with another inconspicuous compound called dioxin. If you're going to Knock people off, at least pick something that is generic and off the shelf, not something like "POLONIUM" 209 or dioxin.

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

Sure, let’s go to the supermarket and buy some "POLONIUM". Give me a break; even a sudden break failure on a car like from some cheap Hollywood 60s flick would be more believable!

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

The Ukraine issue for those living under a rock:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4088345.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6697752

Truth is, the Russians were notorious for using "contact poisons to eliminate people all through the Cold War.


8 posted on 12/14/2006 12:25:25 PM PST by Red6 (Weird thoughts -)
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To: james500

No, the KGB just gives spies a "time out."


9 posted on 12/14/2006 12:28:06 PM PST by adgirl
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To: Red6
Sure, let’s go to the supermarket and buy some "POLONIUM". Give me a break; even a sudden break failure on a car like from some cheap Hollywood 60s flick would be more believable!

Okay, next time how about they drop a piano on the person's head like a Laurel and Hardy movie.
10 posted on 12/14/2006 12:30:12 PM PST by adgirl
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To: james500

Probably murdered by criminals. Uh yeah, as if criminals don`t have anything better to do.

"Hey Spike!"

"Yeah Boss!"

"I`m bored! How about we get some highly radioactive polonium and poison someone!"

"But what about robbin` da bank boss?"

"Nah, we did enough of that. Let`s try sometin` new!"


11 posted on 12/14/2006 12:31:38 PM PST by Screamname (Actors have always hated Republicans, starting with Lincoln.)
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To: james500
"That was long ago. It belonged to the days of Stalin," Velichko told Die Welt newspaper.
And then - Velichko said the assassination of Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov, killed in London with a poison dart shot from an umbrella in 1978, decades after Stalin's death, was probably the last one.

Then should the title be "Russia - probably - no longer murders spies: KGB veteran"? Probably.
12 posted on 12/14/2006 12:47:30 PM PST by alecqss
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To: teacherwoes

Hey man, Florida state doewn't kill anybody.
They'd like to kill a lot of Gators and a few Hurricanes but they don't, they just don't.
:)


13 posted on 12/14/2006 12:48:34 PM PST by Joe Boucher (an enemy of islam)
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To: james500

to be honest, I can't help but think that the Russian govt had nothing to do with this especially in this day and age; I mean, it doesn't do much for your image does it?


14 posted on 12/14/2006 12:51:01 PM PST by Mac1 (=)
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To: Mac1

Lugging around polonium does seem an inefficient way of assassinating someone.


15 posted on 12/14/2006 12:54:49 PM PST by popdonnelly
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To: Mac1
Only if proven.
Also, on plus side, it gives a pause to all those people to could do much for that image.
16 posted on 12/14/2006 12:57:45 PM PST by alecqss
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To: alecqss

"Only if proven."

I think the chances of proving something like this has never been greater; also: using an extremely rare, hard to manufacture substance for triggering atom bombs (first used in the Nagasaki bomb, if not Trinity) kind of draws attention that you wouldn't want especially if you were interested in foreign investment/Western style economy/avoiding the impression of a murderous, totalitarian state.


17 posted on 12/14/2006 1:07:21 PM PST by Mac1 (=)
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To: james500
Kremlin's denials fall flat - This year the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, passed laws allowing the Russian head of state to use special units to eliminate individuals regarded as a threat to Russian security wherever they are found.

Seventeen organisations have been named by Moscow as “terrorist” groups. The move was taken after four Russian diplomats were kidnapped and killed in Baghdad, provoking President Putin to ordered his security services to hunt down the killers and eliminate them.

Russia has always been able to send its armed forces abroad, including the notorious Soviet-era GRU, which dealt with all military intelligence. The new legislation would allow other branches of Russia’s security services to operate overseas, including Mr Putin’s own FSB (Federal Security Service), the successor to the KGB, which has taken the lead in counter-terrorism operations.

This month Mr Putin made it clear that Russia would not tolerate terrorist groups in Russia receiving support from abroad. In a speech at GRU headquarters he said that “decisive action must be taken to cut off channels of support and liquidate them”.

18 posted on 12/14/2006 1:34:05 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: james500

Okey dokey...and what organization did Putin work for?


"Liberals Love America Like O.J. Loved Nicole"
T-Shirt/Bumper Sticker
http://www.cafepress.com/titillatingtees.79595525


19 posted on 12/14/2006 1:39:29 PM PST by xuberalles (Anti-Liberal Novelties, Titillating Tees! http://www.cafepress.com/titillatingtees)
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To: xuberalles
"That was long ago. It belonged to the days of Stalin," Velichko, head of the Veterans of Foreign Intelligence, told Die Welt newspaper in an interview. Millions died under the rule of dictator Josef Stalin.

What a bald-faced lie. Georgi Markov was killed by poison dart filled with ricin and fired from an umbrella in London in 1978. Oh sure, maybe the KGB only "supported" the Bulgarian secret police.. you know, by giving them the ricin, the training, probably even the umbrella. But it's their work all the same.

I'm sure they don't orchestrate bombings either, such as the attack on a Moscow housing development in the 90s that was pinned on the Chechens, despite evidence that it was actually done by the Russian government. Killing their own people for political ends (a huge offensive against Chechnya was opened with wide public support based on this alleged farce). Rant over.

20 posted on 12/14/2006 1:48:23 PM PST by buckleyfan (WFB, save us!)
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