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Why has Wiltshire couple's health led to Cobra emergency meeting? Questions raised by the second Wiltshire nerve agent poisoning
(about 5 hours later)
Why the concern over the incident in Amesbury, Wiltshire? What triggered concern over the incident in Amesbury, Wiltshire?
A couple living in Amesbury, Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, were taken to hospital on Saturday night. The initial suspicion, according to police, was that it was drugs-related, but doctors were unable to identify the substance.A couple living in Amesbury, Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, were taken to hospital on Saturday night. The initial suspicion, according to police, was that it was drugs-related, but doctors were unable to identify the substance.
The same hospital treated Sergei and Julia Skripal, the Russian couple targeted in Salisbury by the nerve agent novichok, and it was worried by similarities.The same hospital treated Sergei and Julia Skripal, the Russian couple targeted in Salisbury by the nerve agent novichok, and it was worried by similarities.
Overnight on Tuesday, Wiltshire police, sensitive after the Salisbury attack, declared it a “major incident”.Overnight on Tuesday, Wiltshire police, sensitive after the Salisbury attack, declared it a “major incident”.
The police and government stressed they were keeping an open mind: it might be something “sinister” connected to the Skripal attack or there might be a totally different explanation. They said they were awaiting the outcome of tests into the mystery substance. The police and government throughout Wednesday had said they were keeping an open mind: it might be something “sinister” connected to the Skripal attack or there might be a totally different explanation. They said they were awaiting the outcome of tests into the mystery substance.
By late Wednesday evening, the police announced the tests showed it was novichok, a type of nerve agent originally developed in Russia. It was used in the attack on the Skripals, smeared on a door handle.
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former commanding officer of the UK Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, said the key was Amesbury’s proximity to Salisbury.Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former commanding officer of the UK Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, said the key was Amesbury’s proximity to Salisbury.
“If it had happened anywhere else, it is doubtful if anyone would have paid much attention,” he said. “The authorities are concerned it could be collateral damage from Salisbury.”“If it had happened anywhere else, it is doubtful if anyone would have paid much attention,” he said. “The authorities are concerned it could be collateral damage from Salisbury.”
Since the attack on the Skripals in March, work has been underway to clean up areas in Salisbury that could have been contaminated. Why did the Wiltshire police statement in the early hours of Wednesday morning throw Whitehall and Westminster into panic?
Why did the Wiltshire police statement throw Whitehall and Westminster into panic? The statement came as a surprise on Wednesday morning. It was issued overnight and the first many officials knew about it was when they got up in the morning.
The statement took them by surprise. It was issued overnight and the first many officials knew about it was when they got up in the morning. The police statement described it as a “major incident”. The government convened a meeting of its Cobra emergency committee, which is usually made up of intelligence officials, ministers and police.
Although the police statement described it as a “major incident”, that should not be read as confirmation that it is serious. It is a technical term applied to a whole range of situations, used by the police and emergency services when referring to an event requiring various agencies to coordinate their efforts. Why were the tests being carried out at the secretive biological warfare centre Porton Down?
Why are the tests being carried out at the secretive biological warfare centre Porton Down? Normally, such tests would be carried out in-house at the hospital or another NHS agency. But Porton Down is close by and identified the use of novichok in the Skripal case. That experience made it easier and faster for them to establish that the substance was novichok.
Normally, such tests would be carried out in-house at the hospital or another NHS agency. But Porton Down is close by and identified the use of novichok in the Skripal case. What happens now?
What is the significance of the counter-terrorism unit of the Metropolitan police becoming involved? The first priority for the police will be to establish how and where the couple came into contact with the novichok and why it has only surfaced now months after the Skripal attack.
The counter-terrorism unit deals with terrorism nationwide, but its involvement at this stage is purely procedural. Its members have the security clearance needed to deal with the intelligence agencies. The police have been working to decontaminate Salisbury and public health authorities had issued reassurances that there was no danger to the public.
It does not mean terrorism is involved or that there is any link to counter-espionage operations. Wiltshire police retain the lead in the investigation. Another priority is to establish whether the novichok was from the batch as was used in the Skripal case.
Why did the government up the ante by calling a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee? What will be the diplomatic fall-out?
Cobra, which stands for Cabinet Office briefing room A, usually brings together government officials, intelligence agencies, police and ministers from relevant departments, and is often chaired by the prime minister. The UK government and the intelligence agencies have already blamed the Russian government for being behind the Skripal attack and described the first use of a nerve agent on European soil since the second world war as irresponsible.
A Cobra meeting suggests there is good reason to be worried and a Downing Street spokesperson said the incident was being treated “with the utmost seriousness”. But such meetings are often just precautionary. The government can point to the the latest casualties as further evidence of recklessness.
The latest twist comes at time when Russia’s image has been burnished by a successful staging of the World Cup. More significantly though, it comes less than a week before a Nato summit in Brussels to discuss how the transatlantic alliance should deal with Russia and ahead of Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin. Will Trump even raise it?
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