London – A former KGB agent poisoned in London described in interviews before his death how he was ordered to hire assassins to neutralize potential rivals and whistle- blowers who threatened the Kremlin, according to excerpts published and broadcast Saturday.
Alexander Litvinenko, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died Thursday of heart failure after falling gravely ill from what doctors said was poisoning by a rare radioactive substance.
His highly contaminated body was released to a coroner by police late Saturday, and Home Office pathologists were expected to begin an autopsy, but experts said investigators might never pinpoint the exact source of the radioactive polonium-210 found in the spy’s urine.
In a dramatic deathbed statement, 43-year-old Litvinenko accused Putin – whom he called “barbaric and ruthless” – of ordering his poisoning. Putin has called the death a tragedy and denied involvement.
Litvinenko spoke to academics James Heartfield and Julia Svetlichnaja from the University of Westminster in three interviews that lasted a total of about six hours in April and May. The Daily Telegraph published a syndicated version of the interviews Saturday.
British detectives investigating his death launched an international hunt for witnesses Saturday and spooled through hours of security video for clues. They were examining closed-circuit television footage and interviewing hotel and sushi restaurant staff, a police spokeswoman said.
In a sign the British government was taking the matter seriously, it convened a crisis committee with security officials for a third straight day. The meetings are attended by the nation’s top security, health and diplomatic officials on issues such as terrorism. They are intended to bring experts and legislators together to make quick decisions. Putin’s government has pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
