UK News
Traces of polonium found at London restaurant linked to Litvinenko
Jan 5, 2007, 16:13 GMT
London - Traces of radioactive polonium-210 have been found at an Italian restaurant in London believed to have been frequented by contacts of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko who died from radioactive poisoning on November 23.
Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) said polonium-210 had been discovered at the Pescatori Restaurant in Dover Street, in the fashionable district of Mayfair.
It was believed that three Russian men who met Litvinenko in London in early November had visited the restaurant.
Staff at the family-run restaurant had been offered urine tests to see whether they were contaminated.
'Some evidence of contamination with polonium 210 has been detected at the restaurant. On the basis of the monitoring results received there is no public health concern,' said the HPA.
It did not anticipate 'any significant health risk to staff or customers' of the restaurant, added the agency.
Altogether, 11 people, including Litvinenko's wife Marina, have so far been found to have small traces of the toxic agent in their bodies.
Scotland Yard and the Russian authorities are currently involved in separate investigations into the incident.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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