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Novichok poisoning: police 'identify' Skripal suspects – reports Novichok poisoning: police 'identify' Skripal suspects – reports
(35 minutes later)
Police are believed to have identified the suspected perpetrators of the Novichok attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal. Police are believed to have identified the suspected perpetrators of the Novichok attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal, it is being reported.
Officers think several Russians were involved in the attempted murder of the former double agent and daughter Yulia in Salisbury and are looking for more than one suspect. Officers think several Russians were involved in the attempted murder of the former double agent and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury and are looking for more than one suspect, the British-based news agency Press Association claims.
A source with knowledge of the investigation told the Press Association: “Investigators believe they have identified the suspected perpetrators of the Novichok attack through CCTV and have cross-checked this with records of people who entered the country around that time. They (the investigators) are sure they (the suspects) are Russian.” A source with knowledge of the investigation told PA: “Investigators believe they have identified the suspected perpetrators of the novichok attack through CCTV and have cross-checked this with records of people who entered the country around that time. They (the investigators) are sure they (the suspects) are Russian.”
The news comes as an inquest is due to open on Thursday for Dawn Sturgess, 44, who died earlier this month, eight days after apparently coming into contact with Novichok from the same batch used in the attempted murder of the Skripals in March. The news comes as an inquest is due to open on Thursday for Dawn Sturgess, 44, who died earlier this month, eight days after coming into contact with novichok. Police are working on the assumption that it came from the same batch used in the attempted murder of the Skripals in March.
Her partner Charlie Rowley, 45, was left fighting for his life after also being contaminated by the chemical weapon. Her partner Charlie Rowley, 45, was left critically ill after also being contaminated by the nerve agent.
It is understood Sturgess was exposed to at least 10 times the amount of nerve agent the Skripals came into contact with. It is understood Sturgess was exposed to at least 10 times the amount of novichok the Skripals came into contact with, PA said.
Investigators are working to the theory that the substance was in a discarded perfume bottle found by the couple in a park or somewhere in Salisbury city centre and Sturgess sprayed Novichok straight on to her skin, the source said. Investigators are working on the theory that the substance was in a discarded perfume bottle found by the couple in a park or elsewhere in Salisbury city centre and Sturgess sprayed novichok straight on to her skin, the source said.
The Metropolitan Police, who are leading the investigation, declined to comment. Police found the bottle at Rowley’s home in Amesbury. It is not known if it is the poisoning of Rowley and Sturgess and the discovery of the bottle that has provided the vital breakthrough.
The Guardian revealed on 5 July that police had dropped a hint that they may now know the identity of the would-be killers who targeted the Skripals.
When he appeared at a public meeting in Amesbury on 10 July, Britain’s leading counter-terrorism officer, Neil Basu, said the “brutal reality” was that police had not yet caught the would-be assassin or assassins.
The Metropolitan Police, who are leading the investigation, declined to comment on Thursday. Since March hundreds of officers have been examining many thousands of hours of CCTV footage attempting to spot the Skripal attackers.
It is possible that in recent days they have been able to pinpoint where the bottle was discarded – and thus allow them to focus in on a particular time and place or even locate a new CCTV camera. But it may also be that four months of painstakingly combing through footage has finally paid off.
The inquest will be opened by the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner in Salisbury and the hearing is expected to be adjourned to allow police inquiries to continue.The inquest will be opened by the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner in Salisbury and the hearing is expected to be adjourned to allow police inquiries to continue.
On Wednesday, a fingertip search of Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury was carried out. On Wednesday, a fingertip search began of Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury, one of the areas Sturgess and Rowley visited shortly before they fell ill.
The park and other locations in Salisbury and nearby Amesbury were cordoned off last month after the exposure of the couple to the nerve agent.The park and other locations in Salisbury and nearby Amesbury were cordoned off last month after the exposure of the couple to the nerve agent.
Searches of properties could last months after 400 items were recovered, officers warned, while waste and litter will be removed as part of the sweep of public areas.Searches of properties could last months after 400 items were recovered, officers warned, while waste and litter will be removed as part of the sweep of public areas.
Last week counter-terrorism detectives revealed they had found a small bottle containing Novichok at Rowley’s home in Muggleton Road, Amesbury. A team of international experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was called in to carry independent checks on the substance that poisoned Sturgess and Rowley.
They are trying to establish where the container came from, and how it came to be in his house.
A team of international experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was called in to independently verify this.
They have finished collecting samples which will now be analysed at two OPCW labs before the results are reported back to the UK.They have finished collecting samples which will now be analysed at two OPCW labs before the results are reported back to the UK.
Public Health England said the risk to the public remains low but it continued to “strongly advise” not to pick up any unknown “strange items” such as syringes, needles, cosmetics or similar objects made of materials such as metal, plastic or glass.Public Health England said the risk to the public remains low but it continued to “strongly advise” not to pick up any unknown “strange items” such as syringes, needles, cosmetics or similar objects made of materials such as metal, plastic or glass.
Sergei SkripalSergei Skripal
RussiaRussia
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