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| Porton Down experts unable to verify 'precise source of novichok' | Porton Down experts unable to verify 'precise source of novichok' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| British scientists at Porton Down have not been able to establish where the novichok nerve agent used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal was made, it has emerged. | British scientists at Porton Down have not been able to establish where the novichok nerve agent used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal was made, it has emerged. |
| Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down, Wiltshire, said it had not proved it was created in Russia. | Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down, Wiltshire, said it had not proved it was created in Russia. |
| Aitkenhead confirmed the substance required “extremely sophisticated methods to create something probably only in the capabilities of a state actor”. | |
| The comments are bound to be seized on by Russia, which insists it was not behind the attack and claims the British government’s accusations that it is behind it are a provocation. | The comments are bound to be seized on by Russia, which insists it was not behind the attack and claims the British government’s accusations that it is behind it are a provocation. |
| Speaking to Sky News, Aitkenhead said: “We were able to identify it as novichok, to identify that it was military-grade nerve agent. | Speaking to Sky News, Aitkenhead said: “We were able to identify it as novichok, to identify that it was military-grade nerve agent. |
| “We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific information to government who have then used a number of other sources to piece together the conclusions that they have come to.” | |
| He explained that establishing its origin required “other inputs”, some of them intelligence-based, that the government has access to. | He explained that establishing its origin required “other inputs”, some of them intelligence-based, that the government has access to. |
| Aitkenhead added: “It is our job to provide the scientific evidence of what this particular nerve agent is. We identified that it is from this particular family and that it is a military grade, but it is not our job to say where it was manufactured.” | Aitkenhead added: “It is our job to provide the scientific evidence of what this particular nerve agent is. We identified that it is from this particular family and that it is a military grade, but it is not our job to say where it was manufactured.” |
| Aitkenhead would not comment on whether the laboratory had developed or kept stocks of novichok, but dismissed the suggestion from Russia that the agent used to poison the Skripals could have come from Porton Down. | Aitkenhead would not comment on whether the laboratory had developed or kept stocks of novichok, but dismissed the suggestion from Russia that the agent used to poison the Skripals could have come from Porton Down. |
| “There is no way anything like that could have come from us or left the four walls of our facility,” said Aitkenhead. | “There is no way anything like that could have come from us or left the four walls of our facility,” said Aitkenhead. |
| He said the government had come to its conclusions about the source of the nerve agent by piecing together Porton Down’s scientific findings and other information it had access to. | |
| Asked if it was possible to establish where the novichok was made, Aitkenhead added: “At this stage, with the work that we’ve done thus far, we’ve been able to establish that it’s novichok or from that family. We are continuing to work to help to provide additional information that might help us get closer to the question that you ask but we haven’t yet been able to do that.” | |
| Aitkenhead told the broadcaster there is no known antidote to novichok. He said Porton Down had advised Salisbury district hospital on how to treat the Skripals: “We can and we have advised the hospital and the medics on the best course of trying to mitigate against the effects, but this is an extremely toxic substance and not something that you can easily give something to somebody to help them recover.” | |
| The interview came as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons prepares to meet in The Hague on Wednesday to discuss the attack in Salisbury at Moscow’s request. OPCW inspectors have been in Salisbury and Porton Down to make their own investigations. | The interview came as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons prepares to meet in The Hague on Wednesday to discuss the attack in Salisbury at Moscow’s request. OPCW inspectors have been in Salisbury and Porton Down to make their own investigations. |
| Earlier, Downing Street described the incident in Salisbury as an example of increasingly aggressive behaviour from Moscow. | Earlier, Downing Street described the incident in Salisbury as an example of increasingly aggressive behaviour from Moscow. |
| A No 10 spokesman said: “As the prime minister has made clear, the UK would much rather have in Russia a constructive partner ready to play by the rules. But this attack in Salisbury was part of a pattern of increasingly aggressive Russian behaviour, as well as a new and dangerous phase in Russian activity within the continent and beyond. | A No 10 spokesman said: “As the prime minister has made clear, the UK would much rather have in Russia a constructive partner ready to play by the rules. But this attack in Salisbury was part of a pattern of increasingly aggressive Russian behaviour, as well as a new and dangerous phase in Russian activity within the continent and beyond. |
| “As the prime minister has said, we must face the facts, and the challenge of Russia is one that will endure for years to come.” | “As the prime minister has said, we must face the facts, and the challenge of Russia is one that will endure for years to come.” |
| Asked why Russia had not been granted consular access to Yulia Skripal, whose condition is improving, the spokesman said such access was “based on a number of considerations, including consent from the individual”, adding: “Any requests for consular access are passed to individuals if and when appropriate.” | Asked why Russia had not been granted consular access to Yulia Skripal, whose condition is improving, the spokesman said such access was “based on a number of considerations, including consent from the individual”, adding: “Any requests for consular access are passed to individuals if and when appropriate.” |
| The Russian ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov, was the latest to join the criticism from Russia over the UK’s handing of the aftermath of the attack. | The Russian ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov, was the latest to join the criticism from Russia over the UK’s handing of the aftermath of the attack. |
| He said Russia wanted Britain to “provide every possible element of evidence” it had and added: “We certainly reject any notion or claim of Russian involvement in the Salisbury incident. We will not tolerate this kind of irresponsible and basically indecent behaviour on the part of the British government. They will have to answer for that.” | He said Russia wanted Britain to “provide every possible element of evidence” it had and added: “We certainly reject any notion or claim of Russian involvement in the Salisbury incident. We will not tolerate this kind of irresponsible and basically indecent behaviour on the part of the British government. They will have to answer for that.” |
| Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, also called the attack a “provocation arranged by Britain” to justify high military spending because “they need a major enemy”. | Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, also called the attack a “provocation arranged by Britain” to justify high military spending because “they need a major enemy”. |
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