Those of us following the Litvinenko incident and the Po-210 trail have said from day one the trail is the story and it must all fit together. We know the first sign of Po-210 is around Oct 16-18th of last year when Lugovoi and Kovtun came to London, stayed at the Parkes Hotel in Knightsbridge. They met with Litvinenko (for Lugovoi this was one of what is believed to be 16 meetings last year with Litvinenko) and visited security companies with ties to Litvinenko, one with ties to another Russian Oligarch who headed the now defunct Yukos Oil giant. Po-210 was found in multiple hotel rooms, and at the Itsu restaurant where the three ate.

The second path of Po-210 centers around Lugovoi’s next trip to London around Oct 15-28. This time the hotel is the Sheraton Parkes hotel and multiple rooms showed signs of Po-210. The multiple rooms is key because it looks like the Po-210 was dispersed or collected. Kovtun was not at this meeting. He was in Moscow. The day Lugovoi left London (10/28) Kovtun left Moscow for Hamburg. No word on whether their paths crossed in Moscow. Then a few days later on Oct 31st Lugovoi returns from Moscow, and the next day Kovtun flies into London from Hamburg with our mystery man.

I rehash all this to make it clear any resolution of this mystery must address these elements of the Po-210 trail. But what I have been trying to confirm is the direction of contamination on the one plane which was flying between Moscow and London – and now we have it:

It was initially thought Litvinenko, 43, had been poisoned during a meeting with his Italian contact, Mario Scaramella. The Itsu Sushi bar did show traces of polonium 210, but not where the two men sat.

He had met Lugovoi in October at the sushi bar, where it is believed poisoning was first attempted.

Hotel rooms Lugovoi occupied in London were contaminated with polonium 210; traces were also found at the Arsenal stadium where he had watched a match the day Litvinenko was poisoned and on the plane Lugovoi boarded for a flight to Moscow.

I would like to know if that was the November 2nd flight back. If it was that is important. But what this tells us is Lugovoi and Kovtun where in proximity to Litvinenko, possibly when he was poisoned. Kovtun had the Po-210 on him coming into the country November 1st after he traipsed across Hamburg leaving deposits. Someone had a major spill in their room at the Millenium when they stayed there. Berezovsky’s office was contaminated that day, as was one of those interesting UK security firms. But Lugovoi only shows traces departing England, not coming in.

All reporting I have seen today states the tea pot was full when the poison was administered, and the cup of tea was poured from it and Litvinenko had some (maybe an ounce, maybe 2-3 ounces). The chemistry still must line up (this is like gravity – you cannot pretend it doesn’t exist). The liquid does not change its form from pot to cup to Litvinenko so the dosages must be identical (with the possible exception of solid material on the bottom of the pot – but not likely). Right now the tea pot looks way too hot, as does the cup, to have held the small amounts found in Litvinenko. But without specific levels it is impossible to tell.

Other interesting tidbits today Litvinenko’s mother was worried about “Sasha”. but she does confirm my suspicions Litvinenko might go along with the Putin charade for the sake of his family:

“I begged him to stop many times because I thought that nothing good would come out of it. I told him: you can drive, why don’t you get yourself a job as a taxi driver? But he felt it was his duty to carry on and often told me that wealthy Russian friends in London would take care of his family if something happened to him.”

And they are indeed doing that. Not bad for the adopted son of the Chechnyan rebels. Another interesting tidbit is news that Litvinenko’s co-author was warned by the FBI not to go to London due to security concerns.

The co-author of the tome, Yuri Felshtinsky, is currently refusing to travel to London to fulfil any publicity commitments for the book. Felshtinsky, who is based in the United States, has apparently been advised by the FBI not to travel since they believe he still wouldn’t be safe in the capital.

Now why would it not be safe for him in London? Supposedly the Po-210 assassination ring is hold up in Moscow. And with all the press any attack now by Putin’s agents would be a PR disaster. I would think the man is completely safe in London – unless there is danger from another quarter.