Poison plotters claim their second victim

Times On Line ^ | dec. 2, 2006 | Richard Beeston and Daniel McGrory

[blogblogginaway]

Police fear that the murder of a former Kremlin spy may have been part of a double killing plot after a second man was taken to hospital last night with radiation poisoning.

The Anti-Terror Group is examining whether the killers of Alexander Litvinenko also tried to poison Mario Scaramella, an Italian security expert who met the Russian exile on the day that he fell ill.

Toxicologists confirmed yesterday that Mr Scaramella had also been contaminated by a “significant” amount of deadly polonium-210. The level leads them to suspect that it was more than he could have ingested from simple physical contact with Litvinenko.

Radiological experts also say that the amount is more than he could have inhaled from being close to Litvinenko had he coughed or sneezed. Cobra, the Government’s emergency planning committee, met after learning of Mr Scaramella’s contamination.

[batter]

I think this may be worthy of the "breaking news" category...

[Admin Moderator]

think this may be worthy of the "breaking news" category...

Not since it was first reported 12 hours ago.

[batter]

My bad, I was just about to 'retract' my post. I misread the article - I was under the impression he died.

How long shall I sit in the corner?

[george76]

[Sender]

Wouldn't this actually be more Mycroft's department?

If Sherlock can't finger this radiological rapscallion with help from the 10 percent solution, then I suppose we should let Mycroft have a go. Mycroft won't do anything about it, but his intuition is usually correct.

[Silly]

[anymouse]

FR Thead: ABC News Exclusive: Murder in a Teapot British officials say police have cracked the murder-by-poison case of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, including the discovery of a "hot" teapot at London's Millennium Hotel with an off-the-charts reading for Polonium-210, the radioactive material used in the killing.