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| Alexander Litvinenko 'did not inadvertently poison himself' | Alexander Litvinenko 'did not inadvertently poison himself' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko did not accidentally kill himself after handling nuclear material, the inquiry into his death has heard. | Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko did not accidentally kill himself after handling nuclear material, the inquiry into his death has heard. |
| His widow Marina rejected allegations that he had bought the radioactive substance polonium-210, saying he was a "very legal person". | |
| She also told the court Mr Litvinenko had been warned he would be killed on different occasions. | She also told the court Mr Litvinenko had been warned he would be killed on different occasions. |
| Mr Litvinenko was a vocal critic of the Russian government and spy agency FSB. | Mr Litvinenko was a vocal critic of the Russian government and spy agency FSB. |
| The inquiry also heard from his son Anatoly, 20, on Tuesday. He said he felt "numb" after his father's death. | |
| Mr Litvinenko, who fled to the UK in 2000 and had British citizenship, died nearly three weeks after drinking tea laced with polonium at a hotel in London in November 2006. | Mr Litvinenko, who fled to the UK in 2000 and had British citizenship, died nearly three weeks after drinking tea laced with polonium at a hotel in London in November 2006. |
| Two men - former KGB bodyguard turned politician Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun - were named as the main suspects in 2007. Both deny any involvement and remain in Russia. | Two men - former KGB bodyguard turned politician Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun - were named as the main suspects in 2007. Both deny any involvement and remain in Russia. |
| The judge-led inquiry at London's Royal Courts of Justice was shown a video of Russian soldiers using an image of Mr Litvinenko as target practice. | The judge-led inquiry at London's Royal Courts of Justice was shown a video of Russian soldiers using an image of Mr Litvinenko as target practice. |
| 'Illegal things' | 'Illegal things' |
| Asked about the claims that Mr Litvinenko had acquired the polonium-210 himself, his widow said it was "not possible". | Asked about the claims that Mr Litvinenko had acquired the polonium-210 himself, his widow said it was "not possible". |
| "It's illegal and he will not do any illegal things in this country," she said. | "It's illegal and he will not do any illegal things in this country," she said. |
| On her second day of giving evidence, Mrs Litvinenko told the court the family had been subjected to harassment whereby a man claiming to be from the Russian embassy had made repeated visits to their north London home. | On her second day of giving evidence, Mrs Litvinenko told the court the family had been subjected to harassment whereby a man claiming to be from the Russian embassy had made repeated visits to their north London home. |
| She described how their home was firebombed in 2004, as was a house across the road belonging to former Chechen rebel leader Akhmed Zakayev. | She described how their home was firebombed in 2004, as was a house across the road belonging to former Chechen rebel leader Akhmed Zakayev. |
| She also told of separate threats against her husband's life. | She also told of separate threats against her husband's life. |
| Mrs Litvinenko said he had been told by an FSB agent before he left Russia that he would be killed, along with the couple's son, the court heard. | Mrs Litvinenko said he had been told by an FSB agent before he left Russia that he would be killed, along with the couple's son, the court heard. |
| Her husband was also warned he would be killed following the publication of his second book, focussing on corruption within the FSB, in 2002, she added. | Her husband was also warned he would be killed following the publication of his second book, focussing on corruption within the FSB, in 2002, she added. |
| 'Absolutely devastated' | 'Absolutely devastated' |
| The inquiry has previously heard that Mr Litvinenko, 43, may have been poisoned with polonium twice. | The inquiry has previously heard that Mr Litvinenko, 43, may have been poisoned with polonium twice. |
| Mrs Litvinenko told the court her husband had met Mr Lugovoi and Mr Kovtun in London on 16 October 2006, and had been ill that night. She said they thought it was food poisoning and he took two days to recover. | Mrs Litvinenko told the court her husband had met Mr Lugovoi and Mr Kovtun in London on 16 October 2006, and had been ill that night. She said they thought it was food poisoning and he took two days to recover. |
| On 1 November, after another meeting with the same men, Mr Litvinenko came home about 18:00 BST and ate some dinner, his wife said. | On 1 November, after another meeting with the same men, Mr Litvinenko came home about 18:00 BST and ate some dinner, his wife said. |
| Later that night, he started to vomit, and by the morning he told his wife he was unable to breath properly. | Later that night, he started to vomit, and by the morning he told his wife he was unable to breath properly. |
| He was admitted to Barnet Hospital three days later and transferred to University College Hospital in central London when his condition worsened. | He was admitted to Barnet Hospital three days later and transferred to University College Hospital in central London when his condition worsened. |
| Mrs Litvinenko described how his hair started to fall out and she was "absolutely devastated" by his appearance. The court heard how she kept some of his hair. | Mrs Litvinenko described how his hair started to fall out and she was "absolutely devastated" by his appearance. The court heard how she kept some of his hair. |
| She wept as she told the court his final words to her were: "I love you so much." | She wept as she told the court his final words to her were: "I love you so much." |
| Mrs Litvinenko also told the court her husband signed a statement on his death bed, written by a friend and solicitor, blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin for his death. | Mrs Litvinenko also told the court her husband signed a statement on his death bed, written by a friend and solicitor, blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin for his death. |
| Religious conversion | |
| The inquiry heard how he had converted to Islam on his death bed so he could be buried on Chechen soil - he had become involved in the first Chechen war while working in the FSB, but he later became sympathetic to the cause of Chechen separatists. | The inquiry heard how he had converted to Islam on his death bed so he could be buried on Chechen soil - he had become involved in the first Chechen war while working in the FSB, but he later became sympathetic to the cause of Chechen separatists. |
| The court also heard his father had visited him in hospital and when Mr Litvinenko told him he had converted, his father replied: "It does not matter. At least you are not Communist." | The court also heard his father had visited him in hospital and when Mr Litvinenko told him he had converted, his father replied: "It does not matter. At least you are not Communist." |
| Anatoly Litvinenko also told the inquiry he had "never really believed" his father would die. | |
| He said his death had hit him "hard" and left him "numb". | |
| And he said Mr Litvinenko had talked favourably of the UK, praising its honesty and integrity. |