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by Jerky » Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:13 am
by Sounder » Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:15 am
by JackRiddler » Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:27 pm
by JackRiddler » Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:29 pm
by seemslikeadream » Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:44 pm
Russian ex-spy says he was on Kremlin 'hit list' along with poisoned Skripal
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russ ... ng-n860641
Nerve agent was left on front door of Sergei Skripal’s home
March 29 2018, 12:01am,
Fiona Hamilton, Crime & Security Editor
The highest concentration of novichok was found on the front door of Mr Skripal’s home, close to Salisbury city centre
TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS
A deadly nerve agent that poisoned a former Russian double agent and his daughter in Salisbury was left on the front door of his home, police revealed last night.
Scotland Yard said that Sergei and Yulia Skripal were believed to have come into contact with novichok “at their home address” and the highest concentration of the nerve agent was on the front door. The door, which has a lucky horseshoe attached to it, has a protruding handle that must be pulled shut. The attackers were likely to have known it did not lock automatically and the Skripals would be exposed to the poison when they locked up.
The investigation will focus on the house, the Metropolitan Police said, with searches and witness appeals near by…
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news ... -_-TWITTER
by Jerky » Sun Apr 01, 2018 2:16 am
by seemslikeadream » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:35 am
Skripal attack: 2,800 Russian bots ‘sowed confusion after poison attacks’
March 24 2018, 12:01am,
President Putin’s regime has been known to wage information warsYURI KADOBNOV/REUTERS
Russia unleashed an “extensive” disinformation operation in Britain after the Salisbury spy attack, with thousands of suspected robotic accounts spreading doubt and conspiracy on the internet, officials believe.
It is understood that an estimated 2,800 such online accounts are suspected of posting material about the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, according to monitoring reports prepared for the government. Messages posted by the suspect accounts are thought to have been interacted with 75 million times and to have reached at least 7.5 million people in Britain.
A key aim of the accounts appears to be to cast doubt on Theresa May’s assessment that the Kremlin is responsible for the nerve agent attack on March 4 and to turn people in…
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news ... -zf6lvb3nc
by BenDhyan » Sun Apr 01, 2018 11:00 pm
Russia has 13 questions to OPCW over Skripal case
2 Apr, 2018
Russia has sent a list of 13 questions to the UN's chemical weapons watchdog, the OPCW, demanding answers on its involvement in the British probe into the poisoning by a nerve agent of former double agent Sergei Skripal.
The letter was published by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday, a day after similar questionnaires were forwarded to the foreign departments of the UK and France. In a statement on its website, the ministry again stressed that the whole Skripal case was "fabricated against Russia." The 13 questions, sent by Russia's permanent mission at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the watchdog's Technical Secretariat, can be divided into broader groups that address three important aspects of the ongoing investigation: the UK's dealings with the OPCW, the OPCW's procedure and France's involvement in the investigation.
What does Britain want from the OPCW?
The first several questions deal with the assistance that the OPCW provided to the British in the investigation.
"What exactly is Britain asking the OPCW Technical Secretariat to confirm: only the fact that a nerve agent was used or that it belongs to the 'Novichok' type under Western classification?" one of the questions reads.
Moscow is also asking what type of samples and other evidence was handed over to the OPWC by the British and whether the Technical Secretariat has plans to share its information on the Skripal case with the OPCW Executive Council, of which Russia is a member.
What were OPCW experts doing in Britain?
Russia wants more clarity regarding the recent visit of OPCW experts to the UK: who the team's leader and members were, how long they stayed and who they interacted with.
"What was the sampling procedure [during the OPCW team's visit]; was the basic principle of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) observed in the investigations (the so-called 'chain of custody')?" the letter asked. The 'chain of custody' principle provides for chronological documentation of the order in which the samples, data, and records are handled by various parties involved in an investigation, which ensures the physical security of the evidence.
Other questions are about which OPCW laboratories will analyze the samples brought from the UK, and when to expect results.
Why and how was France involved?
Russia is asking the OPCW to explain France's involvement in the investigation of the Skripal case, which was a crime involving Russian citizens on the British soil, with no apparent effect on French interests.
"Did the OPCW Technical Secretariat provide its consent for the UK to disclose the investigation materials to EU countries (according to available information, France has fully joined the investigation)?" one of the questions read.
Moscow is also wondering whether France had notified the OPCW that the UK asked it to join the probe. Moscow is asking whether the watchdog received materials on the Skripal case from the French investigation and – if so – whether they will be shared with Russia.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with what the UK claims is the Soviet-designed nerve agent А-234 (also known as 'Novichok'), in Salisbury in early March. London said that it was "highly likely" that Russia was responsible for the attack and introduced sanctions against the country, including the expulsion of Russian diplomats.
Britain addressed the OPCW for assistance and engaged France in the investigation, while brushing away Moscow's offers of cooperation and demands for proof of Russia's alleged involvement. Russia has denied the UK's accusations, calling then baseless, and decried the Skripal case as a "provocation."
https://www.rt.com/news/422922-russia-opcw-skripal-questions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS
by Heaven Swan » Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:24 am
seemslikeadream » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:35 am wrote:Skripal attack: 2,800 Russian bots ‘sowed confusion after poison attacks’
March 24 2018, 12:01am,
President Putin’s regime has been known to wage information warsYURI KADOBNOV/REUTERS
Russia unleashed an “extensive” disinformation operation in Britain after the Salisbury spy attack, with thousands of suspected robotic accounts spreading doubt and conspiracy on the internet, officials believe.
It is understood that an estimated 2,800 such online accounts are suspected of posting material about the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, according to monitoring reports prepared for the government. Messages posted by the suspect accounts are thought to have been interacted with 75 million times and to have reached at least 7.5 million people in Britain.
A key aim of the accounts appears to be to cast doubt on Theresa May’s assessment that the Kremlin is responsible for the nerve agent attack on March 4 and to turn people in…
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news ... -zf6lvb3nc
by alloneword » Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:42 am
The Times wrote:...suspected... officials believe... It is understood...
A key aim of the accounts appears to be to cast doubt on Theresa May’s assessment that the Kremlin is responsible for the nerve agent attack on March 4
by seemslikeadream » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:40 am
Russian bots are tweeting their support of embattled Fox News host Laura Ingraham
By Amanda Erickson April 2 at 11:22 AM Email the author
Laura Ingraham came under harsh criticism after she mocked Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg. (Mary F. Calvert, Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Embattled Fox News host Laura Ingraham has found some unlikely allies: Russian bots.
Russian-linked Twitter accounts have rallied around the conservative talk-show host, who has come under fire for attacking the young survivors of the Parkland school shooting. According to the website Hamilton 68, which tracks the spread of Russian propaganda on Twitter, the hashtag #IstandwithLaura jumped 2,800 percent in 48 hours this weekend. On Saturday night, it was the top trending hashtag among Russian campaigners.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wor ... d6983b6cab
Who Poisoned Alexander Litvinenko? Radioactive thallium link
by seemslikeadream » Tue Nov 21, 2006 9:49 am
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9355
The Mystery of the 14 Dead Russian Officials
by Morty » Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:41 pm
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=40675
Litvinenko poisoning suspect a hero in Russia
by Jeff » Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:29 pm
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=15894
by alloneword » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:15 pm
The Times wrote:Russia: Salisbury poison fears allayed by doctor
Fiona Hamilton, Crime & Security Editor | John Simpson | Deborah Haynes
March 16 2018, 12:01am, The Times
Dozens of patients who went to hospital after the Salisbury poisoning were unaffected by the nerve agent, a doctor has revealed.
As Theresa May visited the Wiltshire city and declared it “open for business”, Stephen Davies, a consultant in emergency medicine at the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, said that no one other than Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey had needed treatment.
The poisoning had prompted concern about the public’s potential exposure to the novichok nerve agent, as well as complaints about a lack of information from the authorities. Neil Basu, the police head of counterterrorism, said on Tuesday that 35 people, other than the Skripals and Mr Bailey, had been seen by doctors after the attack.
In a letter to The Times Dr Davies writes that no patients experienced symptoms other than the three with “significant poisoning”. “Several people have attended the emergency department concerned that they may have been exposed,” he adds. “None has had symptoms of poisoning and none has needed treatment. Any blood tests performed have shown no abnormality. No member of the public has been contaminated by the agent involved.”
Hundreds of people were told to take decontamination steps despite the authorities refusing to reveal precise details of the nerve agent attack... (cont)
by alloneword » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:19 pm
The British side stated that a visit to the poisoned Skrobala possible, but none of the relatives did not wish. When you have decided that you are ready to go to Salisbury?
It's all lies and political games. On March 5, I called both embassies (Britain and Russia). Phone records I have. First at all I was kicked, and our diplomats ask to confirm the relationship. I sent them about 15 documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate... In this case communicate with me personally by Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko.
So you must have the most current information about the status of your family.
Yes you are, this information is not even competent authorities. The last thing became known to me from our diplomats, that's what Julia opened her eyes, ate, drank and even managed to say a few words. From them I also know that our foreign Ministry a total of sent UK 68 notes! To provide information about interaction requests but all in vain...
by seemslikeadream » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:29 pm
Source: Britain believes nerve agent attack likely had Kremlin approval
Personnel bag samples as they swab railings near a bench covered in a protective tent at The Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, southern England, on March 16, 2018.
(CNN)British authorities examining the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal believe the daring placement of the nerve agent on his door shows a sophistication that likely had the approval of the Kremlin, a source briefed on the investigation has confirmed to CNN.
Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were poisoned on March 4 after being exposed to what the British government says was a military-grade nerve agent.
British officials believe an attack of this type could only be carried out by a person (or more than one person) with key training involving Novichok, the substance used in the attack.
There are doubts that rogue agents could have carried out the attack without approval from the top levels of Russian government.
Police officers stand outside the home of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal following his alleged poisoning.
The New York Times first reported this latest theory regarding responsibility.
Last week, Russia again denied any involvement in the poisoning, with Russian Foreign Minister spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accusing the UK government of seeking to "bring about a totally absurd situation."
The UK government has long pointed fingers at Russia for the March 4 nerve agent attack against the former double agent and his daughter on British soil.
In a speech before parliament one week after the attack, British Prime Minister Theresa May said it was "highly likely" that the attack constituted "an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom."
Officials believe this type of nerve agent attack is also meant to send a strong warning to Russian dissidents in the West, the source said.
Yulia Skripal in an image taken from her Facebook account on Tuesday March 6, 2018
The revelation that investigators believe the poisoning likely had approval at the highest levels of the Russian government doubles down on accusations -- from the White House, among others -- that Russia is becoming increasingly brazen in its hostile acts on foreign governments, including its interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
The assertion that the Kremlin's fingerprints are on the attack echoes what the US said regarding the 2016 hacking of the Democratic National Committee blamed on hackers tied to Russian intelligence.
The Kremlin has also denied being involved in the DNC hacking.
Both Skripal and his daughter were hospitalized for weeks with serious damage from the attack, but Yulia is "improving rapidly," a statement from the Salisbury District Hospital last week said. Sergei Skripal remains in a critical but stable condition, the statement added.
Late last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov again demanded the UK give Russian diplomats access to Yulia, who is a Russian citizen. Zakharova also told reporters in Moscow that Britain is breaking international law by refusing to provide information on the case.
"We are witnessing obvious prevention of access for Russian representatives to Russian victims," she said.
The Skripals were found slumped on a bench in an outdoor shopping complex in Salisbury, England. They had no visible injuries, according to police.
Opinion: If we want to stop Putin, we need to go after his sources of money
Tit-for-tat expulsions
The flag of the United States flies outside the US Consulate building in St. Petersburg ahead of its announced closure by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The diplomatic fallout continued last week as Moscow ordered the expulsion of diplomats from at least 23 countries, as a reciprocal move after those countries expelled Russian diplomats in solidarity with the UK.
Prior to Friday's expulsions, the Kremlin announced that 60 US diplomats would be kicked out of the country, and the US consulate in St. Petersburg shut in retaliation for a similar step by Washington, which said Monday it would be expelling the same number of Russian diplomats and closing the Russian consulate in Seattle.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/02/europe/s ... index.html
Salisbury attack sites face months of decontamination
Police to focus on places visited by Sergei and Yulia Skripal as Russia accuses UK of trying to distract from Brexit
Steven MorrisMon 2 Apr 2018 11.14 EDT
The jarring sight of experts in hazmat suits will once again return to the streets of the cathedral city of Salisbury this week as the process of decontaminating areas cordoned off following last month’s nerve agent attack begins.
Meanwhile, Russia has ratcheted up its criticism of the UK government, suggesting British spies could have poisoned Sergei and Yulia Skripal as a distraction from Brexit.
Russia’s embassy in London published a series of “questions without answers”, asking why hospital staff happened to have an antidote to the novichok nerve agent used in the attempted murder.
Over the Easter holiday weekend, attractions and shops in Salisbury expressed hope that visitors would return to the city a month after the attack on the former double agent and his daughter.
The Maltings shopping centre, where the Skripals collapsed, and the London Road cemetery, where two of their relatives are buried, have been officially handed back to local police by counter-terror officials to allow the recovery to start.
Decontamination was delayed so that Easter weekend visitors to Salisbury were not greeted by the unsettling sight of officers in protective suits. The process of safely reopening the sites to the public is expected to take many months.
More than 200 counter-terrorism officers continue to investigate the attack, with particular focus on the Skripals’ house on the outskirts of Salisbury.
A children’s play area and some footpaths remained cordoned off over the weekend. Police said last week they believed the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door.
Russia has stepped up its criticism of how the UK and its allies have acted since the attack on 4 March. The UK prime minister, Theresa May, has said the Russian state is the only plausible antagonist in the attack, and led the global condemnation, culminating in the expulsion of more than 100 diplomats.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on Monday that the UK’s secret services could have been involved to distract attention from Brexit. Speaking in Moscow, Lavrov suggested the poisoning of the Skripals “could … be in the interests of the British special forces who are known for their abilities to act with a licence to kill”.
He added: “This could be in the interests of the British government, which found itself in an uncomfortable situation having failed to fulfil promises to its electorate about the conditions for Brexit.”
Lavrov also claimed the attack on the Skripals was not sophisticated, saying that if it had been, the victims would have died immediately. “If I understand correctly, sophisticated attacks usually lead to instant death,” he said.
He insisted that “serious experts” and “leaders of a number of countries” were questioning Britain’s account of the crime. “Britain, I think, will not manage to evade answering these questions … It’s only too obvious that our British colleagues have lost their sense of reality.”
Lavrov also complained that the British authorities have still not given consular access to “our citizens”, despite Yulia’s improving condition.
On Monday the Russian embassy tweeted a series of questions about the Skripal case, asking whether the UK had ever produced the novichok nerve agent said to have been used in the attack. It also asked what antidotes were administered to the Skripals and how they may have been available to medical staff treating them.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective matters – because it might well be your perspective, too
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... ei-skripal
by alloneword » Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:25 am
In early 2002, a year before the invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration was putting intense pressure on Bustani to quit as director-general of the OPCW — despite the fact that he had been unanimously re-elected to head the 145-nation body just two years earlier. His transgression? Negotiating with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq to allow OPCW weapons inspectors to make unannounced visits to that country — thereby undermining Washington’s rationale for regime change.
In 2001, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell had penned a letter to Bustani, thanking him for his “very impressive” work. By March 2002, however, Bolton — then serving as under secretary of state for Arms Control and International Security Affairs — arrived in person at the OPCW headquarters in the Hague to issue a warning to the organization’s chief. And, according to Bustani, Bolton didn’t mince words. “Cheney wants you out,” Bustani recalled Bolton saying, referring to the then-vice president of the United States. “We can’t accept your management style.”
Bolton continued, according to Bustani’s recollections: “You have 24 hours to leave the organization, and if you don’t comply with this decision by Washington, we have ways to retaliate against you.”
There was a pause.
“We know where your kids live. You have two sons in New York.”
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