Jackbauer
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- Oct 28, 2010
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A public inquiry will be held into the death of the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, the UK Home Secretary Theresa May has announced.
Mr Litvinenko, a former KGB officer who became a British citizen, died in 2006 in a London hospital after he was poisoned with radioactive polonium.
The investigation will examine whether the Russian state was behind his death.
Mr Litvinenko's widow, Marina, said she was "relieved and delighted", saying the "truth will win out in the end".
Announcing the inquiry, Mrs May said she hoped it would be of "some comfort" to Mrs Litvinenko.
The inquiry will be chaired by senior judge Sir Robert Owen, who was the coroner at Mr Litvinenko's inquest last year.
Sir Robert delayed the inquest and called for a public inquiry because the inquest could not consider sensitive evidence because of national security fears.
That inquiry will now go ahead, with much of the evidence in public but some closed sessions for sensitive evidence.
Marina Litvinenko: "I do this for justice, I do this for truth"
Mr Litvinenko, 43, died after he was poisoned with radioactive polonium while drinking tea with two Russian men, one a former KGB officer, at a London hotel.
His family believes he was working for MI6 at the time and was killed on the orders of the Kremlin.
Speaking at a press conference, Mrs Litvinenko - who had legally challenged the government's earlier decision not to hold a public inquiry - said she had pursued the case "for justice", adding: "I did this for truth."
One of the suspects, Andrei Lugovoi, told the Russian Interfax news agency the decision to launch an inquiry was "the height of cynicism".
In May 2007, the UK said Mr Lugovoi - now a politician in Russia - should be charged with the murder of Mr Litvinenko. Russia refused to extradite Mr Lugovoi, who denies any involvement.
Source: BBC
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