Radioactive spy Islamic convert? Fears raised Litvinenko helped al-Qaida with 'dirty bomb' plot

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | December 3, 2006 | WorldNetDaily.com

[Jacob Kell]

LONDON – Reports that KGB defector Alexander Litvinenko converted to Islam before his mysterious poisoning with radioactive polonium 210 is raising suspicions that he may have been involved in a plot to smuggle the deadly substance to terrorist groups willing to pay millions even for a gram, Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin is reporting today.

Scotland Yard detectives are now trying to discover if Litvinenko had any secret links with Islamic extremist terror groups, the London Sunday Express is reporting.

Their biggest fear, the paper reports, is that Litvinenko, who died of polonium-210 poisoning in a London hospital, may have been helping al-Qaida or other extremist groups get hold of radioactive material to be used in a devastating "dirty" atom bomb.

Britain's secret intelligence service MI6 had earlier learned that al-Qaida was prepared to pay $3 million a gram for polonium 210, G2 Bulletin reported last week.

(Story continues below)

[muawiyah]

Not believing this story at all ~ it's simply part of another "disgruntled middleaged white male" thesis.

I'd put more credit in a story that had one of Barbara Hatch Rosenberg's little leftwing nutcase friends having gotten involved.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

I don't totally discount the possibility. Anna Politkovskaya the murdered Russian journalist covered everything from a pro Chechen perspective. In fact her anti-Putinness required that she be pro Chechen, much like the Democrats are pro Saddam. Since Litivinenko was on the same side as Anna, he may have had ties to Chechen Islamic groups. It's pure speculation, we will have to see.

[cynwoody]

Is Cynwoody "the man who knew too much"?

LOL.

Diagram of Fat Man type gadget (from Wikipedia).

The little red dot is the neutron initiator, which used Polonium and Berylium in early designs. Once the chain reaction gets going, it runs through about 80 generations, requiring about 800 nanoseconds elapsed time.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

"The man who knew too much"? Rather doubtful...

April, 1944 - Monsanto begins delivering polonium for initiator research. The rate is initially 2.5 curies/month.

Chronology For The Origin Of Atomic Weapons

[HardStarboard]

>>>Just because Litvinenko was attracted to Islam doesn't mean he was an Islamic terrorist.<<<

Why else would one be attracted to Islam?

[/very little sarcasm]

[Dreagon]

So let me get this straight. Their theory is that somehow in an attempt to smuggle the poison, this guy INGESTED one of the most toxic substances on the planet? Anybody else see the problem here?

[Porterville]

I support Putin, have, still do, will in the future.

[cynwoody]

It seems quite clear to me that Litvinenko was murdered by the FSB. The only question is whether it was by Putin's order or was a "rogue operation" of some sort. If the latter, then who?

One of the bizarre theories is that Berezovsky did it, figuring it would be blamed on Putin. If that's the case, then Berezovsky must be making some people in the FSB very rich.

[Thunder90]

Another Putinist cheerleading article.

[zimdog]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen passed off as "news".

[Vroomfondel]

So let me get this straight. Their theory is that somehow in an attempt to smuggle the poison, this guy INGESTED one of the most toxic substances on the planet? Anybody else see the problem here?

Happens all the time.

[JasonC]

The correct headline would be (NY Post screamer) "Russians Pretend Murdered Spy Thought Of Becoming Muslim, Say That Makes It OK". Subtitle - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has "No Comment"

[JasonC]

When he says "Jew swine" under his breath while murdering his next victim, will you still?

[jonrick46]

This is just what I suspected. Litvinenko contaminated himself with polonium 210 while messing with efforts to create a dirty bomb. Since polonium 210 is easy to hide from radiation detectors, it makes a good candidate for use in a WMD device. It is very deadly and would cause havoc if sufficient quantities were scattered in a population area through an explosive device. The problem with polonium 210 is that it takes high tech methods to handle it. Litvinenko may have flunked nuclear physics class.

The blaming of Putin of some kind of poisoning was a diversionary tactic.

[the Real fifi]

I never saw so much disinfo being pumped out--Has everyone forgotten that at the outset the Chechens were set up by a flase flag Putin operation and resorted to this terrorism only after Putin tried to strip them of their independence?

We shut up about it because we needed Russia's help in the WOT (though we all know it's limited and regularly violated with deals with Venezuela, Iran, etc.)

[jonrick46]

"Polonium would not be an ingredient of choice for a dirty bomb. It needs to be ingested to do harm. It has a short half-life. It costs a bundle."

I am not so sure that polonium 210 would be such a bad choice for a dirty bomb. It has one advantage that terrorists would find attractive: it is easier to hide from detection than other radioactive substances. Even if it costs much to produce, think of the dollars terrorist groups have access to. Even if it needs to be ingested, once it is air born, it can be ingested by the lungs. If it contaminates water, it would cause havoc in a city's water supply.

[Strategerist]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen passed off as "news".

Which is pretty routine for Joseph Farah and his supposed "Intelligence" bulletin.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[tkathy]

I agree. The Russians were famous a long time ago for undetectable poisoning. No way would they use something so spectacular as radioactive stuff.

[GAB-1955]

Frankly, this sounds like a Russian spy agency story "planted" to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the West. The Russians have done that before.