Posted on 07/22/2014 8:58:37 AM PDT by Theoria
Almost eight years after Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former K.G.B. officer turned whistle-blower, was poisoned in London with a radioactive isotope, the British authorities announced on Tuesday that a public inquiry would be held into his death, permitting investigators to explore whether Russian leaders ordered the killing.
At a time when President Vladimir V. Putin faces mounting Western opprobrium for his support of pro-Russia separatists accused of shooting down a Malaysia Airlines jetliner over eastern Ukraine, the announcement from Theresa May, the British home secretary, could be seen by Moscow as a further rebuke.
“It is more than seven years since Mr. Litvinenko’s death, and I very much hope that this inquiry will be of some comfort to his widow,” Ms. May said in a written statement to Parliament.
The announcement reflected a remarkable about-face by the government of Prime Minister David Cameron, which, seeking improved relations with Moscow, long resisted demands by Mr. Litvinenko’s supporters for scrutiny of any role in his death by the Russian state or the British intelligence services. With Mr. Cameron calling for sanctions against Russia over the crisis in Ukraine, the ground now seems to have shifted, although British officials described the timing of Tuesday’s announcement as a coincidence.
“I am relieved and delighted with this decision,” Marina Litvinenko, the former K.G.B. officer’s widow, said in a statement. Using her husband’s nickname, she added, “It sends a message to Sasha’s murderers: no matter how strong and powerful you are, truth will win out in the end and you will be held accountable for your crimes.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Have they just been saving this for a rainy day when Putin was out of favor?
What kind of investigation are they going to do 8 years after his death?
Shrug. Perhaps. I expect Russia will find another electronic rock and kick out a few Brits for spying again.
I always suspected that was a plan for multiple dirty bombs to be set off all over England to force England to bring their troops home to handle the mass evacuations of cities.
Since the radioactive crap could be traced back to Russia, Russia gave Litvinenko a dose of his own medicine and to act as a warning to the muzzies not to try and drag Russia into their war against the West.
Just NOW they are going to investigate it??
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