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| Foundation in memory of ex-spy | Foundation in memory of ex-spy |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The wife and friends of murdered former spy Alexander Litvinenko are launching a justice foundation in his name. | The wife and friends of murdered former spy Alexander Litvinenko are launching a justice foundation in his name. |
| His widow Marina, close friend Alex Goldfarb and Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky hope the foundation will assist investigations into his death. | His widow Marina, close friend Alex Goldfarb and Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky hope the foundation will assist investigations into his death. |
| The 43-year-old Russian, a former KGB officer, died last November in London. His body contained high levels of radioactive substance polonium-210. | The 43-year-old Russian, a former KGB officer, died last November in London. His body contained high levels of radioactive substance polonium-210. |
| The Litvinenko Justice Foundation will be formally launched in London later. | The Litvinenko Justice Foundation will be formally launched in London later. |
| We want to bring everybody together to see whether we can help justice be done Alex Goldfarb | |
| Among those attending the Whitehall event will be human rights lawyer Louise Christian, who has acted for the families of three Guantanamo Bay detainees. | Among those attending the Whitehall event will be human rights lawyer Louise Christian, who has acted for the families of three Guantanamo Bay detainees. |
| Mr Goldfarb told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There are hundreds of people who were exposed to polonium-210 in this terrorist attack in London. | |
| "We want to bring everybody together to see whether we can help justice be done." | |
| Compensation would be sought "as a group... from whoever will be found to be perpetrator of this crime", he added. | |
| The foundation would also maintain political pressure on the Russian government, he added. | |
| President blamed | |
| Supporters of the foundation have accused the Russian government of poisoning Mr Litvinenko, an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin. | |
| Mr Litvinenko had defected to Britain before his death. | |
| In a statement released after his death, he blamed the Russian president for his poisoning. | |
| The Kremlin has always denied any suggestion that it was behind Mr Litvinenko's murder. | |
| Mr Berezovsky has said he hopes the foundation will prevent a repeat of "the same terror attack" in the future. | Mr Berezovsky has said he hopes the foundation will prevent a repeat of "the same terror attack" in the future. |
| And he said it would also compensate anyone who had suffered "psychological, physical or material harm" as a result of the case. | And he said it would also compensate anyone who had suffered "psychological, physical or material harm" as a result of the case. |
| Last week, self-exiled tycoon Mr Berezovsky was questioned about Mr Litvinenko's death by Russian officials in the presence of British detectives. | Last week, self-exiled tycoon Mr Berezovsky was questioned about Mr Litvinenko's death by Russian officials in the presence of British detectives. |
| The Metropolitan Police have already submitted a file of evidence on the case to the Crown Prosecution Service. | The Metropolitan Police have already submitted a file of evidence on the case to the Crown Prosecution Service. |