There were two aspects of the Litvinenko Inquiry report, released yesterday, that surprised me. First, Sir Robert Owen, the Chairman of the Inquiry, having pulled no punches in stating who he thought had committed the murder in 2006, then went on to link the crime to President Putin in the strongest terms he was able…
Tag: polonium-210
The Litvinenko Inquiry – Parting shots
So, despite much publicity and expectation, the keenly-sought evidence from Dmitri Kovtun, one of the two alleged murderers of Alexander Litvinenko, did not, after all, materialise. The Inquiry has been adjourned since the end of public hearings in March. Late in proceedings Kovtun had said he wished to provide evidence via video-link and the Chairman had set…
The Litvinenko Inquiry – Reading the signals
Days 18 to 29 (end of public hearings) – up to March 30th All good spy dramas end with an intriguing cliffhanger. In this regard, the open session of the Litvinenko Inquiry has not disappointed. Late in proceedings the Chairman received notice supposedly from Dmitri Kovtun (one of the two alleged assassins) asking to present…
The Litvinenko Inquiry – Small details, big impact.
Days 3 and 4 – February 2nd and 3rd Small details can easily be muscled aside in big stories. But it is often the little things that provide the human context, especially where the subject matter is otherwise too extraordinary to allow such mundane issues to see much daylight. Marina and Anatoly Litvinenko, widow and son…
The Litvinenko Inquiry – Confirmation and denials.
Day 2 – 28th January How easy is it to actually kill someone anonymously? I leaned into that question, albeit in a somewhat glib manner, with the post Not in front of the children. I ask it now because many commenting on the Litvinenko Inquiry have questioned why a would-be assassin might employ such a bizarre…
The Litvinenko Inquiry – Day 1
Day 1 – 27th January The Litvinenko Inquiry that started today in London’s Royal Courts of Justice is expected to take nine weeks and be complete before Easter. There will be many who will wish it could take longer. Sir Robert Owen, Chairman of the inquiry, said he will “make public the final conclusion on…
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