I’ve felt better, let me tell you!

Anti-terrorism unit takes over investigation into poisoned spy – Britain – Times Online — A number of things jump out at me concerning this bizarre story. The first is the use of thallium. This makes zero sense at all. The second is the anti-terrorism unit handling this. What doe this have to do with terrorism. Will parking violations be considered terrorism next? Something is fishy.

Counter-terrorism officers from Scotland Yard took charge last night of the investigation into the suspected deliberate poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko as the first pictures were published of the former spy’s dramatically changed appearance.

Officers said that Mr Litvinenko, a strong critic of President Putin, had been placed under police guard as he continued fighting for life in a London hospital.

The effects of the poison were graphically illustrated by pictures of the ravaged physical appearance of the former agent of the FSB, the Russian state security organisation, as he sat in his hospital bed.

The announcement yesterday of the involvement of Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command underlined the seriousness with which the attempted murder of Mr Litvinenko, 41, was being treated, and the possible diplomatic implications if a Kremlin connection were uncovered.

In Moscow a spokesman for the SVR, the Russian foreign intelligence service, said: “We have nothing to do with what happened to Litvinenko. The Russian secret services have not in a long time carried out poisonings or any form of assassination.”