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Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko
at London's University College Hospital on 20 November 2006.(Xinhua/AFP
Photo)
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>>> | LONDON,
Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned by
an unknown toxic substance three weeks ago died on Thursday at the intensive
care unit of London's University College Hospital (UCH).
The UCH said in a statement that doctors couldn't
determine the cause of the death of Litvinenko, who has been hospitalized in the
UCH since last Friday.
"He was seriously ill when he was admitted to UCH on
Friday, Nov. 17, and the medical team at the hospital did everything possible to
save his life," said the statement.
"Every avenue was explored to establish the cause of
his condition and the matter is now an ongoing investigation being dealt with by
detectives from New Scotland Yard," it noted.
UCB doctors ruled out the possibility that
Litvinenko, 43, had been poisoned by thallium and radiation, two deadly toxins
once believed likely causes of his illness. Photos released earlier by the
hospital showed that Litvinenko's hair had fallen out and his skin became
swollen.
Litvinenko presumed that he was poisoned on Nov. 1 at
a sushi bar in west London where two Russians offered him information relating
to the Oct. 7 killing of Russian investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya.
Litvinenko had been investigating the woman reporter's murder.
Litvinenko and other Russian exiles in Britain
accused the Kremlin of orchestrating his poisoning, an accusation vehemently
denied by Moscow.
Litvinenko joined the Soviet spy agency KGB in 1988
and then became a colonel of its successor, the Russian Federal Security Service
(FSB). In 1998 he became an open critic of the FSB and was arrested several
times. He fled to Britain with his wife and son in November 2000 and was granted
asylum.
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British police cordon off the entrance to Itsu restaurant in London's Piccadilly, Nov. 24, 2006.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
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A British police officer guards the entrance to a luxury hotel in central London, Friday Nov. 24, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
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Poisoned former Russian spy's
condition worsens
BEIJING, Nov. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- A former Russian spy who was poisoned three weeks ago has been moved into intensive care unit after his condition deteriorated as the toxin attacked his bone marrow, according to hospital doctors Monday.
British press reported Alexander Litvinenko, former
KGB and Federal Security Bureau agent, has been hospitalized after apparently
being given the deadly poison thallium, a toxic metal found in rat poison, in
University College Hospital in London since the beginning of the month. Full
story
UK police probe plot to kill ex-Russian
spy
BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- British police Sunday
confirmed they are investigating a suspected plot to kill a former Russian spy
by poisoning him with the toxic metal thallium.
British press reported exiled agent Alexander Litvinenko,
an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been hospitalized
in University College Hospital in London since the begining of the month with
symptoms of near-fatal poisoning. Full story
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