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| Russian spy poisoning: investigation extends to Dorset town | Russian spy poisoning: investigation extends to Dorset town |
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| The police investigation into the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, has widened further to take in a Dorset town. | The police investigation into the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, has widened further to take in a Dorset town. |
| Some residents of Gillingham, 30 miles west of Salisbury, were told to stay indoors while detectives and military personnel secured a vehicle suspected of being connected to the inquiry. | |
| It is believed the move is linked to Skripal’s BMW, which is emerging as one of the key focuses of the huge police operation. | It is believed the move is linked to Skripal’s BMW, which is emerging as one of the key focuses of the huge police operation. |
| Officers are continuing to work on Skripral’s modern red-brick home on the outskirts of Salisbury. | Officers are continuing to work on Skripral’s modern red-brick home on the outskirts of Salisbury. |
| Meanwhile, it has emerged that Wiltshire council is applying to the government for emergency funding under the Bellwin scheme, which provides help to communities struck by natural disasters such as floods. | Meanwhile, it has emerged that Wiltshire council is applying to the government for emergency funding under the Bellwin scheme, which provides help to communities struck by natural disasters such as floods. |
| There is growing concern in the Wiltshire city about both the economic impact of the attack and the possible long-term health implications. | There is growing concern in the Wiltshire city about both the economic impact of the attack and the possible long-term health implications. |
| Novichok refers to a group of nerve agents that were developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s to elude international restrictions on chemical weapons. Like other nerve agents, they are organophosphate compounds, but the chemicals used to make them, and their final structures are considered classified in the UK, the US and other countries. By making the agents in secret, from unfamiliar chemicals, the Soviet Union aimed to manufacture the substances without being impeded. | Novichok refers to a group of nerve agents that were developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s to elude international restrictions on chemical weapons. Like other nerve agents, they are organophosphate compounds, but the chemicals used to make them, and their final structures are considered classified in the UK, the US and other countries. By making the agents in secret, from unfamiliar chemicals, the Soviet Union aimed to manufacture the substances without being impeded. |
| “Much less is known about the novichoks than the other nerve agents,” said Alastair Hay, an environmental toxicologist at the University of Leeds who investigated the use of chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurds in Halabja in 1988. “They are not widely used at all.” | “Much less is known about the novichoks than the other nerve agents,” said Alastair Hay, an environmental toxicologist at the University of Leeds who investigated the use of chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurds in Halabja in 1988. “They are not widely used at all.” |
| The most potent of the novichok substances are considered to be more lethal than VX, the most deadly of the familiar nerve agents, which include sarin, tabun and soman. | The most potent of the novichok substances are considered to be more lethal than VX, the most deadly of the familiar nerve agents, which include sarin, tabun and soman. |
| And while the novichok agents work in a similar way, by massively over-stimulating muscles and glands, one chemical weapons expert told the Guardian that the agents do not degrade fast in the environment and have “an additional toxicity”. “That extra toxicity is not well understood, so I understand why people were asked to wash their clothes, even if it was present only in traces,” he said. Treatment for novichok exposure would be the same as for other nerve agents, namely with atropine, diazepam and potentially drugs called oximes. | And while the novichok agents work in a similar way, by massively over-stimulating muscles and glands, one chemical weapons expert told the Guardian that the agents do not degrade fast in the environment and have “an additional toxicity”. “That extra toxicity is not well understood, so I understand why people were asked to wash their clothes, even if it was present only in traces,” he said. Treatment for novichok exposure would be the same as for other nerve agents, namely with atropine, diazepam and potentially drugs called oximes. |
| The chemical structures of novichok agents were made public in 2008 by Vil Mirzayanov, a former Russian scientist living in the US, but the structures have never been publicly confirmed. It is thought that they can be made in different forms, including a dust aerosol that would be easy to disperse. | The chemical structures of novichok agents were made public in 2008 by Vil Mirzayanov, a former Russian scientist living in the US, but the structures have never been publicly confirmed. It is thought that they can be made in different forms, including a dust aerosol that would be easy to disperse. |
| The novichoks are known as binary agents because they become lethal only after mixing two otherwise harmless components. According to Mirzayanov, they are 10 to 100 times more toxic than the conventional nerve agents. | The novichoks are known as binary agents because they become lethal only after mixing two otherwise harmless components. According to Mirzayanov, they are 10 to 100 times more toxic than the conventional nerve agents. |
| The fact that so little is known about them may explain why Porton Down scientists took several days to identify the compound used in the attack against Sergei and Yulia Skripal. While laboratories around the world that are used to police chemical weapons incidents have databases of nerve agents, few outside Russia are believed to have full details of the novichok compounds and the chemicals needed to make them. | The fact that so little is known about them may explain why Porton Down scientists took several days to identify the compound used in the attack against Sergei and Yulia Skripal. While laboratories around the world that are used to police chemical weapons incidents have databases of nerve agents, few outside Russia are believed to have full details of the novichok compounds and the chemicals needed to make them. |
| In Gillingham a street was sealed off early on Wednesday to allow the army to secure a breakdown truck. It is thought it may have been used to recover Skripal’s BMW. The truck belonging to Ashley Wood Recovery has been parked next to a bus stop in Gillingham for at least four days. | In Gillingham a street was sealed off early on Wednesday to allow the army to secure a breakdown truck. It is thought it may have been used to recover Skripal’s BMW. The truck belonging to Ashley Wood Recovery has been parked next to a bus stop in Gillingham for at least four days. |
| Residents living inside the cordoned area were told by police to remain in their homes during the operation or stay away for the whole day. | Residents living inside the cordoned area were told by police to remain in their homes during the operation or stay away for the whole day. |
| Stephanie Robertson, 24, said: “I was a bit worried. It’s right outside my house. I didn’t know if [the truck] was harmful or not. I was worried for my children. But I’ve been reassured by the police that it’s safe and we’re all OK.” | Stephanie Robertson, 24, said: “I was a bit worried. It’s right outside my house. I didn’t know if [the truck] was harmful or not. I was worried for my children. But I’ve been reassured by the police that it’s safe and we’re all OK.” |
| The BMW is one of five key possible crime scenes that the police appear to be focusing on. The others are Skripal’s home, the spot where he and his daughter fell ill, and the two places where the pair ate and drank before their collapse. | The BMW is one of five key possible crime scenes that the police appear to be focusing on. The others are Skripal’s home, the spot where he and his daughter fell ill, and the two places where the pair ate and drank before their collapse. |
| Police have launched a specific appeal for anyone who saw the Skripals in the BMW in the 45 minutes before they arrived in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury on the afternoon of Sunday 4 March, when they fell ill. | Police have launched a specific appeal for anyone who saw the Skripals in the BMW in the 45 minutes before they arrived in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury on the afternoon of Sunday 4 March, when they fell ill. |
| Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the now-disbanded Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, said he believed the nerve agent used, novichok, was probably in powder form. “That seems to be the most plausible thing,” he said. | Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the now-disbanded Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, said he believed the nerve agent used, novichok, was probably in powder form. “That seems to be the most plausible thing,” he said. |
| Theories have been swirling around Salisbury about how the novichok may have been delivered, including on the BMW’s door handles, steering wheel or in its ventilation system. But the Guardian understands that the police officer taken ill, DS Nick Bailey, may have fallen ill after visiting Skripal’s home, suggesting the house remains crucial. | Theories have been swirling around Salisbury about how the novichok may have been delivered, including on the BMW’s door handles, steering wheel or in its ventilation system. But the Guardian understands that the police officer taken ill, DS Nick Bailey, may have fallen ill after visiting Skripal’s home, suggesting the house remains crucial. |
| De Bretton-Gordon said it was “plausible” that the nerve agent could have arrived in the post or in a gift. “You open a letter and the stuff goes all over the place,” he said. | De Bretton-Gordon said it was “plausible” that the nerve agent could have arrived in the post or in a gift. “You open a letter and the stuff goes all over the place,” he said. |
| “It is equally plausible that an agent could have delivered it. You only need to drop a small amount in someone’s pocket or brush past them.” | “It is equally plausible that an agent could have delivered it. You only need to drop a small amount in someone’s pocket or brush past them.” |
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