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Litvinenko worked for London’s MI6 – after all …

March 18, 2013   ·   0 Comments

© Collage: Voice of Russia

Ex FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko received over $100,000 for cooperating with the British intelligence service MI6. A statement to this effect was made by Litvinenko’s widow as she testified in connection with the poisoning of her husband during court hearings in London. Even though the testimony was given seven years ago, information about it was disclosed only several days ago. MI6 continued to pay for Litvinenko’s services after this death, his widow said.

The report that the British intelligence paid Litvinenko monthly between the years 2003 and 2006 was published by The Sunday Times citing his widow’s testimony. The last money transfer arrived several months after Litvinenko’s death. In addition, MI6 financed Litvinenko’s business trips and provided him with a fake British passport in a false name. Litvinenko’s trips were allegedly linked to an inquiry in Spain, where he was helping the local authorities to uncover a Russian mafia ring, the newspaper says. Experts are sure that the reports will be confirmed as true. The first reports that Litvinenko had worked for MI6 came in at the end of last year. The recently disclosed information provides yet more details that further discredit the British side, analyst Leonid Savin says.

“Who is behind all this information that has leaked out into the press, is unclear. The British authorities are not interested in making it public. Britain will likely try to hush it all up to avoid losing face.”

The British authorities took action in February, after Marina Litvinenko’s lawyer reported about her husband’s ties to MI6 at the end of last year. Their announcement that all files pertaining to the Litvinenko case would be labeled ‘secret’ ran into fierce criticism from the media and Litvinenko’s widow. Curiously, Marina Litvinenko has refused to comment on the recent media reports citing the secrecy of the investigation.

Many analysts fear that the leak will surely cast a shadow on London. Judging by the recent developments surrounding the Litvinenko case, the ‘legacy’ that the Conservatives ‘inherited’ from the Labor is becoming too heavy a burden for the government of David Cameron. As court hearings have been postponed from May to October, new leaks may come to surface that could make the hyped case against Litvinenko worthless. Analyst Vladimir Slatinov comments.

“Information leaks occur at the right time. Judging by the reports, Litvinenko did not become an innocent victim of a conspiracy. The statute of limitations exists in diplomatic relations as well. The Litvinenko case soured Russian-British relations for years prompting the British government to make harsh statements. Now, as the British authorities are no longer set on regarding the case as standing in the way of bilateral ties, the issue is taking a different turn.”

This becomes clear from the recent Russian-British talks in London. The Russian foreign minister and his British counterpart brought up the Litvinenko case during the talks. But even though the talks nearly coincided with the court hearings, the British side issued no statement in connection with the case. Moreover, the British Foreign Office press service declined to comment on a Litvinenko-related question citing lack of time.

Voice Of Russia

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