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Radiation find in British embassy Radiation find in British embassy
(10 minutes later)
Small traces of a radioactive substance have been found at the British embassy in Moscow following a precautionary check, the Foreign Office has said.Small traces of a radioactive substance have been found at the British embassy in Moscow following a precautionary check, the Foreign Office has said.
But the embassy has insisted there is no risk to public health.But the embassy has insisted there is no risk to public health.
The announcement comes as British police in Moscow continue their investigation into the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.The announcement comes as British police in Moscow continue their investigation into the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
The death of the former KGB agent on 23 November, in London, has been linked to the highly toxic isotope polonium-210. The former KGB agent's death on 23 November, in London, has been linked to the highly toxic isotope polonium-210.
"Slight traces of radiation were found but the level was lower than that which would pose a risk to health," a senior British diplomat said.
The embassy announced on 4 December it would test one of its rooms as a precaution, after former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoi visited the building to deny any involvement in the poisoning of Mr Litvinenko.
Mr Lugovoi and another Russian businessman reportedly met with the former spy in London on 1 November.
Italian contact
Earlier, Mario Scaramella, the Italian academic who met the ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko on the day he fell ill, was discharged from hospital in London.
Preventative checks were carried out at the British embassy
Mr Scaramella was under observation after testing positive for polonium-210.
He had a meeting with Mr Litvinenko on 1 November at a sushi bar in central London.
A spokesman for University College Hospital said Mr Scaramella was not showing any symptoms of radiation poisoning.
The Health Protection Agency also confirmed that staff at the restaurant where the pair met had all tested negative for radiation.
Interview
Meanwhile, Mr Lugovoi is expected to talk to Scotland Yard investigators in the Russian capital, his business associate Vyacheslav Sokolenko said.
Mr Sokolenko confirmed he was in London with Mr Lugovoi on 1 November but said he did not meet or know Mr Litvinenko.
He said the meeting would be at the clinic where he says Mr Lugovoi is undergoing medical checks.
Russian officials are expected to conduct the interviewing of Mr Lugovoi on Wednesday but British detectives will be in attendance.
"If they show me a list of people that they want to meet and if there are names missing on that list, names that I believe would be interesting to propose to them, then I certainly will," Mr Lugovoi previously told NTV television.
I received in the days before a general alert about him in terms of security Mario Scaramella
Nine Metropolitan police officers are currently in Moscow but have had restrictions placed on their investigations into Mr Litvinenko's death by the authorities.
Russia's chief prosecutor, Yuri Chaika, said his own officers would be conducting any witness interviews, British officers could not arrest Russian citizens and suspects would not be extradited to Britain.
Scotland Yard's anti-terrorism unit has not confirmed who officers will be meeting.
British police launched their investigation after Mr Litvinenko, 43, died in a London hospital on 23 November.
Tests have been carried out at a number of venues the ex-spy visited in London on 1 November.
'Hostile people'
Earlier, Mr Scaramella said he had received a "general alert" about the former spy's security.
In an interview from his hospital bed he told CNN he had travelled to London for a conference, but had changed his plans to discuss the threat with Mr Litvinenko .
He said had received e-mails claiming that both he and Mr Litvinenko were "under the special attention of hostile people", but neither man believed the threats were real.
When asked what kind of people would be targeting him, he said: "People linked with some clandestine organisations, not directly under control of Russian establishment but from Russia."
Friends believe Mr Litvinenko was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Russian government, but the Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way as "sheer nonsense".