[cpdiii]

The contamination is strange. The polonium would be smuggled in a very small sealed container. The container would stop any radiation (alpha) and there is no reason for any polonium to escape the container.

It is almost like someone trying to paint a trail back to Moscow with polonium contamination. This does not pass the smell test.

[GOP_1900AD]

The contamination was from people returning to Russia who had encountered Litvinenko during the period after he was irradiated and before he went into the hospital. Some of the planes had cycled back and forth multiple times, that why some were at Heathrow and others at Domodevo.

[justa-hairyape]

True. On the face of it it seems that leaving a trail would be the last thing the KGB/FSB would want, but it does fit in with the intimidation factor. Wonder if they will be able to track the Plutonium to its source of manufacture ? I do find it interesting however that Plutonium was also recently discovered at an Iranian facility. One plausible theory would be that Iranian agents are trying to drive a wedge between Russia and the West. The problem with that theory however is that the Plutonium was apparently delivered by Russians who traveled from Moscow aboard airplanes. It may simply be that Putin is settling scores and he really does not give a hoot what we think. To me this looks more like retribution then it does intimidation.