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Filo, we may expel a couple of low ranking embassy officials and make it out to be a big thing, which interestingly we did in the early 70s I think. Wilson expelled 90 odd in retaliation for them catching our spy ring, they included some men from Barnby Dun who were accused of spying on the R.A.F. at Bawtry headquarters, and who were supposed to work for a plant importing firm called Umo plant on the Pilkingtons site. They seemed to be decent lads to me, shows what I know.
I find it puzzling that the Russians would go to the trouble of trying to bump off a retired spy whom they were willing to let go as part of an exchange. It doesn't appear that this chap posed a particular threat to the Russians nor was he (unlike Litvinenko) an open opponent of Putin.There's a lot more to this than meets the eye. Although I hold no brief for Putin (indeed I agree that he is dangerous) I'll reserve judgment on the notion that this was a Russian secret service operation.
TRB1) According to news reports, Skripal was giving lectures to trainees of the U.K. security services. A security expert on the radio the other day suggested that this meant that the FSB would consider him to still be on active service and hence, fair game. 2) This could also be Putins way of testing our mettle when it comes to responding. And also giving a message that he doesnt fear us. A bit like the regular sorties by Russian bombers testing our East Coast air defences.
Personal grudge from ex colleagues acting on their own?
Quote from: Dutch Uncle on March 09, 2018, 06:44:10 pmPersonal grudge from ex colleagues acting on their own?It’s possible I suppose, but why would an ex-colleague with a personal grudge against a specific person go to the trouble of targeting him by such an “elegant” method? What would there be to gain by doing that? Using nerve agent seems to me to be specifically designed to send a message to a far wider audience than the target himself.
Suicide pact?Assassination by the daughter under direction from Moscow?What is the interest in his sons gravestone about?
Quote from: Dutch Uncle on March 09, 2018, 06:44:10 pmPersonal grudge from ex colleagues acting on their own?It’s possible I suppose, but why would an ex-colleague with a personal grudge against a specific person go to the trouble of targeting him by such an “elegant” method? What would there be to gain by doing that?
The core reason British authorities have turned a blind eye, a current senior national security adviser to the British government told BuzzFeed News, is fear. Ministers, he said, were not prepared to take the “political risk of dealing firmly and effectively in whatever way with the activities of the Russian state and Russian-organised crime in the UK” because the Kremlin could inflict massive harm on Britain by unleashing cyberattacks, destabilising the economy, or mobilising elements of Britain’s large Russian population to “cause disruption”. Deep law enforcement funding cuts mean “our capabilities are very weak”, he said. It was also impossible to rule out the risk of “general war with Russia” in the current climate, he said, and “if it were to happen it would happen very, very rapidly, and we would be entirely unprepared”
https://www.buzzfeed.com/heidiblake/from-russia-with-blood-14-suspected-hits-on-british-soil?utm_term=.tjol5opVg#.dab5EOP6L14 suspicious deaths in the U.K. in recent years, of people known to be enemies of the Russian state or Russian gangsters. Some chilling thoughts in there.QuoteThe core reason British authorities have turned a blind eye, a current senior national security adviser to the British government told BuzzFeed News, is fear. Ministers, he said, were not prepared to take the “political risk of dealing firmly and effectively in whatever way with the activities of the Russian state and Russian-organised crime in the UK” because the Kremlin could inflict massive harm on Britain by unleashing cyberattacks, destabilising the economy, or mobilising elements of Britain’s large Russian population to “cause disruption”. Deep law enforcement funding cuts mean “our capabilities are very weak”, he said. It was also impossible to rule out the risk of “general war with Russia” in the current climate, he said, and “if it were to happen it would happen very, very rapidly, and we would be entirely unprepared”Read that and then think about how desperate Amber Rudd was to publicly tell everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions about Russian involvement this week.
No-one who had any contact with them after they were found on the bench, the restaurant staff, pub staff, ambulance staff are reported to be ill. The only person who did become ill is the police officer - who went to their house. The army took stuff away from the house and the hospital (the ambulance they were in and the officer's police car) but not from the restaurant or pub. So it's fairly clear they dont think they were poisoned at either of those places - but it may have happened at the house.So was it something that came through the post - or was it something the daughter brought over with her? Maybe something to put on the graves hence the interest there?According to the BBC she works for Pepsi.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43355824According to the FT they have no record of her.https://www.ft.com/content/c713dd5e-238b-11e8-ae48-60d3531b7d11
Quote from: wilts rover on March 10, 2018, 11:03:57 amNo-one who had any contact with them after they were found on the bench, the restaurant staff, pub staff, ambulance staff are reported to be ill. The only person who did become ill is the police officer - who went to their house. The army took stuff away from the house and the hospital (the ambulance they were in and the officer's police car) but not from the restaurant or pub. So it's fairly clear they dont think they were poisoned at either of those places - but it may have happened at the house.So was it something that came through the post - or was it something the daughter brought over with her? Maybe something to put on the graves hence the interest there?According to the BBC she works for Pepsi.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43355824According to the FT they have no record of her.https://www.ft.com/content/c713dd5e-238b-11e8-ae48-60d3531b7d11Aren't they looking at the son's grave to see if he was poisoned? (Presumably this wasn't considered when he died?) Perhaps not. Deep waters here.
Can nerve agents, such as sarin, only be obtained or made by governments, as has been said a lot this morning? I had thought that the fanatics who released sarin on the Tokyo underground in 1995 had made it themselves.
No-one has been talking about anyone else other than Russian involvement so that clearly didnt work!