Walter Litvinenko, the father of the dead former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, speaks during a media conference, flanked by family friends Alex Goldfarb, left, and Andrei Nekraskov, right, outside University College Hospital in London, Friday Nov. 24, 2006. The former Russian spy who died in an apparent poisoning signed a statement on his deathbed blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin for his death, friends said Friday. The statement, read to reporters outside the hospital where Alexander Litvinenko died late Thursday, accused the Russian leader of having "no respect for life, liberty or any civilized value."
Photo: AP
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“Special services killed him with nuclear weapon”
Valter Litvinenko, father of Alexander Litvinenko, the political emigrant poisoned in London, told Kommersant’s correspondent Musa Muradov that Russian special services are mixed up in his son’s death.
-- Did you know your son was under threat, did you warn him?
-- Naturally, I realized that grave danger was threatening my son, because he knew much, because he had worked for that organization [Alexander Litvinenko served in KGB and FSB. – Kommersant]. I warned him many times, asked him to think about his safety. I told him directly that special services might kill him.
-- And what did he say to that?
-- He listened to me, but unfortunately kept doing what he was doing, that is denouncing his former colleagues. He told me: “Don’t worry, Father. I’m a citizen of Great Britain, they will never dare touch me”. He was sadly mistaken.
-- Who do you think killed your son?
-- I have no doubts it was done by Russian special service agents, with Vladimir Putin’s permission.
-- But British mass media say that FSB or even SVR (foreign intelligence service) veterans, and not acting special service agents, might have connection to Alexander’s poisoning?
-- It is not true. No veteran organization would dare kill former special service agent. The order to assassinate my son came from the very top.
-- Why was he killed?
-- He knew a lot. For instance, he knew who had killed Anna Politkovskaya. He could give testimony about other crimes of Russian special services. For instance, crimes in North Caucasus. My son bothered Russia’s rulers. He was very dangerous for them.
-- Why do you say so? The investigation’s results are unknown yet.
-- I watched my son die. I talked to him in his last days and hours. He told me that special services killed him with nuclear weapon. I’m a mental physician, and I know that people don’t lie when they are dying. People are sincere.
-- Anyone who contacted your son might have suffered from radiation. How do you feel?
-- I was also checked, but no radiation was found. Children are all right. Only my son’s wife Marina has traces of radiation.
-- What are you going to do? Will you stay in Great Britain?
-- I’ll bury my son and return to Russia. It is my homeland. Although I’ll be unsafe there.
-- Do you fear for your life?
-- Sure. Nothing will stop those people. They killed Anna Politkovskaya, Yuri Shchekochikhin, and I’m afraid.
-- They say Alexander adopted Islam before his death?
-- He thought about it. I came to see him in the hospital and said: “My boy, I lighted a candle for you to St. Sergei Radonezhsky, and prayed for your soul!” And he replied: “Father, I want to be buried according to Muslim traditions.” I said: “Well, son, as you wish. Another Muslim in our family – my daughter is married to a Muslim. The main thing is to believe in the Almighty – there is one God. The main thing is to live according to God’s laws, and not those of the Satan.”
Musa Muradov
All the Article in Russian as of Dec. 04, 2006
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