Reuters AlertNet Lite - Litvinenko's widow says he had Russian enemies

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Litvinenko's widow says he had Russian enemies

10 Dec 2006 10:19:29 GMT
Source: Reuters

LONDON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - The widow of the murdered former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko says her husband angered members of the Russian security services by speaking out against them, but she never imagined they would kill him.

Marina Litvinenko, 44, told two British newspapers she believed members of the FSB, the successor to Russia's KGB, could have been responsible for the death of her husband, who she called Sasha.

"Sasha never had enemies in his life," she told the Sunday Times, "but because he was a former FSB officer and knew, just like me, that you never can escape from the FSB, and he was starting to speak openly about crime ...

"I can't say (it was) these people but I'm absolutely sure they didn't forgive him for what he did."

Litvinenko was killed in London with a lethal dose of radioactive polonium-210 and died on Nov. 23. British and Russian police have opened murder inquiries.

In a statement released after his death, Litvinenko accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing him.

The Kremlin has denied involvement in a case that has spawned numerous conspiracy theories, revived memories of Cold War spying and strained relations between Russia and Britain.

Litvinenko became a British citizen shortly before he died.

"Of course he had enemies, but not (enemies) to kill him in this horrible way. Sasha never felt like he was a first target," his widow added.

She said Nov. 1 -- the day her husband was poisoned -- was the sixth anniversary of their arrival in Britain, a day they always celebrated.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has promised publicly that there will be no diplomatic or political barrier to the probe.

"In Russia, it doesn't matter how many people are killed," Marina Litvinenko said. "I'd like to believe (the) life (of) only one person can still be very important in England."

But in a separate interview with the Mail on Sunday, she said she doubted Russian investigators would tell the truth in their probe:

"Obviously it was not Putin himself, of course not. But what Putin does around him in Russia makes it possible to kill a British person on British soil. I believe that it could have been the Russian authorities."

She said her husband was sometimes very protective of their son, Anatoly, on occasions saying he did not want the boy to go to school. But generally he was at ease in Britain.

"He was sure our computer was being tapped but he never changed his routines," she said.

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Last updated:Sun Dec 10 10:20:19 2006