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Litvinenko inquiry: Suspects have 'no answer' to evidence Litvinenko inquiry: Russian state 'wished Litvinenko dead'
(about 1 hour later)
The two men suspected of poisoning Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 have "no credible answer" to the scientific evidence against them, the inquiry into his death has been told. The Russian state wanted former spy Alexander Litvinenko dead, the inquiry into his poisoning has been told.
UK officials believe Dmitry Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi poisoned Mr Litvinenko in 2006. Both men deny any wrongdoing. Met Police barrister Richard Horwell QC said suspects Dmitry Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi had no personal motive to kill.
Met Police barrister Richard Horwell QC said the force wanted them tried for murder but this was now "unlikely". The Russian state "is likely to have been the sponsor of this plot" and had "reasons aplenty" for wishing him "not only harm, but death", he said.
Attempts to extradite the two suspects failed and they remain in Russia. UK officials believe the two suspects poisoned Mr Litvinenko, 43, in London in 2006 but they deny any wrongdoing.
In 2006, during a meeting with Mr Kovtun and his co-accused Andrei Lugovoi, Mr Litvinenko drank tea containing a fatal dose of the radioactive substance polonium-210. Mr Litvinenko drank tea containing a fatal dose of the radioactive substance polonium-210 during a meeting with Mr Kovtun and Mr Lugovoi at a hotel.
The 43-year-old spy died in hospital nearly three weeks later. He died in hospital nearly three weeks later.
'Trail of polonium' 'Only explanation'
Giving his closing statement, Mr Horwell said the force had previously "remained silent" during the inquiry because it did not want to be seen as having "any influence" over evidence called during the hearing. The fact that polonium was the cause of death tends to indicate there was some form of Russian state participation, Mr Horwell said in his closing remarks to the inquiry.
But he said that the their conclusions should now be made public, adding: "Our silence must now end." He said: "The evidence suggests that the only credible explanation is that in one form or another the Russian state was involved in Mr Litvinenko's murder."
He said: "The MPS investigation has always had, at its central core, the science. It is the scientific evidence that condemns Lugovoi and Kovtun. However, he stressed this did not have to mean that Russian President Vladimir Putin was involved or gave the order for Mr Litvinenko's death.
"No matter how many state honours [Vladimir] Putin may pin to Lugovoi's chest for services to the motherland, however, meteoric Lugovoi's rise in politics has been and may become, however many times Kovtun promises to blow apart this inquiry, Lugovoi and Kovtun have no credible answer to the evidence and to the trail of polonium they left behind." He said there were many possible motives behind the murder of Mr Litvinenko, with no evidence "which one, or which ones, sealed his fate".
Mr Horwell told the inquiry the spout of the teapot used by Mr Litvinenko was so contaminated that it was established as a primary source of radiation. Defecting to the UK in 2000, after accusing KGB successor the FSB of murdering political opponents and of corruption, could have been seen as "akin to treachery", he told the inquiry.
He described polonium as almost the perfect weapon, saying that death was certain while the substance itself was usually unidentifiable. He also spoke of Mr Litvinenko's "many personal attacks on Putin".
Mr Horwell said that the two suspects had "no credible answer" to the scientific evidence against them and that while the force wanted them tried for murder, this was unlikely to happen.
Attempts to extradite the two men have failed and they remain in Russia.
Former Soviet army officer Mr Kovtun has been criticised by inquiry chairman Sir Robert Owen for failing to give evidence to the hearing.Former Soviet army officer Mr Kovtun has been criticised by inquiry chairman Sir Robert Owen for failing to give evidence to the hearing.
Mr Horwell has said that the risk to the general public in London from polonium radiation will never be known, and also that Mr Litvinenko had been poisoned twice in the run-up to his death.
He said: "There can be no doubt that Alexander Litvinenko was unlawfully killed and the science is such that the finger points unwaveringly at Lugovoi and Kovtun as having administered polonium to him on two occasions.
"The two attacks on Mr Litvinenko were an outrage. They led to great suffering on his part and eventually to his demise.
"We will never know how dangerous the exposure of polonium to the public at large will be and what long-term effects will be visited upon Londoners."
The inquiry was adjourned until Friday.