Dec 11 2006
The Emerging “Dirty Bomb” Theory
Finally we are seeing some people using science, analysis and logic to address the fact we have a series of sworn enemies of Russia, who are aligned with allies of Al Qaeda, turning up exposed to massive amounts of Polonium 210 (compared the amount needed to kill one person), a material used in nuclear bomb triggers and a good candidate for a dirty bomb:
Therefore, without sounding as unhinged as the conspiratorial hordes that we seek to expose, we must seriously consider the possibility that Litvinenko was not assassinated but died after somehow exposing himself to Plutonium 210. The “dirty bomb†theory is one of the most likely means of exposure. Plutonium 210 has certain industrial uses that make it relatively easy to obtain; however, Litvinenko was not involved in any business that would have had a legitimate reason to use Plutonium 210. He was, however, intimately involved with a Chechen terrorist organization that had, in the past, made a “dirty bomb†from radioactive material similar to Plutonium 210. The possibility, therefore, exists that Litvinenko was at some point in a location where Plutonium 210 was being used to assemble a terrorist weapon. Such a prospect is far more disconcerting then your simple, run of the mill, Kremlin-ordered “hit†of a political dissident; and it is a possibility which should be explored by the British government and the civilized world.
Indeed it is. One thing not being reported is whether anyone thinks they have accounted for all the Polonium 210 associated with Berezovsky’s long time associates (Litvnenko and Lugovoi). These are not Putin’s people. A dirty bomb is a realistic option in this case.
I disagree. Whoever did this knew it would be detected. The dose was large enough to produce obvious radioactive poisoning. All the authorities would have to do is notice the rate at which the radiation decayed to determine that it was polonium, they would not even be required to actually isolate any of the substance, simply note the decay profile of the radiation. Within a couple of weeks they would be able to determine the isotope just by watching the level of alpha radiation in a saved urine sample.
Once his hair fell out and it became obvious his bone marrow wasn’t working, a quick test for alpha radiation would show the presence of an isotope and watching the decay profile would reveal which one.
“Perhaps they opened thte container several times to remove stuff to kill Litvinenko and in so doing left a trail–”
Perhaps, but not likely. Besides, if you are talking about assassination, you are talking about no more material than a few grains of salt. The total dosage Litvinenko got (50 to 100 times a fatal dose) would be about the size of a single grain of salt. An assassin would not have more than a few of those with them. Opening “the container” would probably not result in the loss of one of those grains and if it did, the contamination would be very isolated (that grain would fall into the carpet and probably stay there).
The contamination is more consistant with a large amount of the stuff, much more than would ever be needed for an assassination. If you have enough of the material that when you open a container enough escapes to contaminate people in three countries, then you are probably not talking about quantities an assassin would be given.
If you are going to send someone to shoot someone, would you give them a million rounds of ammunition?
CP – the Germans are describing the stuff as something that is flying around like dust particles and sticking to this and that – that suggests PO in some kind of powder suspension doesn’t it? Better weaponized? But you can explain the chemistry/physics better -thanks
“And it’s worth bearing in mind that there has been speculation that the Chechens are in league with Al Quaeda.
That’s true, and I don’t discount it, but it’s also worth speculating that any terrorist group could be in league with A-Q. And I repeat that not all Chechens are terrorists, just as all Irish are not IRA. ”
Speculation?!?!? Chechnya has been a hotbed of Al Qaeda for years. Some of the worst islamists come from Chechnya. For years we were duped into believing that the Chechens simply wanted freedom from their Russian oppressors. Bunk.
Chatter has been buzzing for months about something planned for Russia/Europe around holidays. Why contort facts to fit this silly “assasination” plot.
So, the victim leaked radiation throughout Germany and UK or the hitmen left a radioactive trail. I’m sure they’ve heard of “leave the gun, take the cannoli”. Who would use a weapon that left a trail?
It’s rather obvious that smuggling was going on…it would explain the involvement of COBRA, the FBI and the advice to UK police to buy masks for radiation protection.
That said, I pray that AJ is wrong. I never want to see those Essex landfills filled with rubble.
I don’t think an assassin would use it in such a form nor do I believe anyone would give an assassin material in that form to use. It is like throwing a handful of anthrax spores at someone.
Looks like he was exposed to material that would be designed to be dispersed over a wide area rather than material designed to be concentrated at a very focused target.
In other words, this material looks like it “wants to spread” or that by its nature it is designed to spread. A material you would use for a targeted assassination would have properties contrary to that behavior. At least I would think so.
And you think this is the form smugglers would choose?
This remains very worrisome
“And you think this is the form smugglers would choose?”
They may have no choice. If they are smuggling polonium, they smuggle it in the form provided. A smuggler, unlike an assassin, needs not know much about what he is smuggling.
If this is for some kind of weapon, and judging from the nature of the material, we should be seeing some more sick people showing up soon.
interview with Lugovoi in der Spiegel English version here:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,453803,00.html
wow: from above:
Kovtun chain smokes cigarettes. He said he burned himself while lying on a sunbed. That’s why he shaved off his hair; otherwise it would have been too painful to stand. Five days later the authorities will announce that Dmitry Kovtun too has been exposed to radiation and taken to a Moscow hospital.
Wow lots of catching up to do.
However, I notice that in all the leaps and bounds made in this investigation – there is still no money trail of Millions of dollars. Funny that. Smugglers usually want money for their product.
And why are Lugovoi and Kuvtun in Russia if they were smuggling for Chechnya? And why are the Russians seemingly protecting these two?
Interesting too- why does the author in the link keep refering to PLUTONIUM 210? And I know this has probably been discussed – but why was Sasha originally thought to have been poisoned by Thallium? Was that just a lab error or something?
And why of the PO is in a highly aerosolized form, would any nitwit think of smuggling it? Metallic form maybe. This form, give me a break.
Check this out Erinys:
Alexander Litvinenko, the ex-KGB/FBS officer who was recently murdered in London, was working for a British security firm at the time of his death, two well placed British sources who wish to remain unidentified tell RAW STORY:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Exclusive_Murdered_ExKGB_Officer_Worked_for_1211.html
You wouldn’t know what form it was in as long as you kept the container closed. Nor would you care. You would not be afraid of release because you would have no plans to open it. Now if they did, or if it leaked, that would be another story.
Bottom line is it is at least possible that material of that nature could be smuggled, particularly if it was intentionally put in that state to go to a terrorist group.
It is very unlikely … I would say impossible … that an assassin would be given polonium in that form to kill one person or even be given as much of it as we have apparently been seeing.
It is like asking a hit man to take care of someone and handing him a pallet of cluster bombs to do the deed with.
Yes, Lizarde1, that is the security company that does business in Iraq that I posted about last week.
CP the only thing I can think of is that L & K were bringing this stuff into London for whatever purpose and they cut some out for their own gain and had plans to do something else with part of it.
Drudge is running a red headline that the “whistleblower” is now missing. Who was the whistleblower?
assassin? Aren’t there way too many signs pointing to incompetence, and greed?