Litvinenko inquest adjourned
The Itsu sushi bar in Piccadilly, central London, is one of the main focuses of the police investigation
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Thursday, 30, Nov 2006 07:59
An inquest into the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko has opened and adjourned in north London.
During a brief hearing at St Pancras coroners court, it was confirmed that the 43-year-old's post mortem is expected to take place tomorrow.
Mr Litvinenko died last Thursday in a London hospital and it has since been confirmed that his body had been contaminated with the radioactive poison polonium-210 (po-210).
A major police investigation has since found traces of the substance in a number of London locations, including the Itsu sushi restaurant where Mr Litvinenko ate on the day he is thought to have come into contact with the poison, November 1st.
Last night, it was also revealed that two British Airways planes have been contaminated by radiation and the airline is seeking to get in touch with some 33,000 passengers who may have come into contact with the substance.
But concerned travellers have complained that it is too difficult to get in contact with NHS Direct as advised, with the health service helplines overloaded with traffic and unable to offer help to those outside of the UK.
Both NHS direct and BA itself however insist that the Health Protection Agency (HPA) says the public health risk is minimal.
In a statement released after the inquest was adjourned, Camden council, which is overseeing the process, confirmed that an autopsy will now take place.
"Dr Andrew Reid, HM coroner for the inner northern district of Greater London today opened and formally adjourned the inquest into the death of Alexander Litvinenko at St Pancras coroners court," a spokesperson confirmed.
"The inquest will re-open at a date to be fixed following investigations by the Metropolitan police. The autopsy will be conducted under Section 20 of the Coroner's Act and will be performed by a Home Office approved pathologist appointed by the coroner."
The council added that the coroner has also issued a burial order, which means the Litvinenko family can instruct a funeral service to take possession of the body once the autopsy has been completed, assuming the all-clear is given from the HPA in relation to radioactive contamination.
Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, home secretary John Reid gave MPs a further update on the ongoing police investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death.
He confirmed that traces of radiation have been found in 12 out of 24 locations monitored by radiation experts but added that the risk of contamination by members of the public "remains very low indeed".
Some 69 people have been referred to the HPA for further examination after contacting NHS Direct voicing concerns about potential contamination, Mr Reid added. Of these, 52 people have been subjected to further testing and 18 have been taken to a special clinic.
Urine results have been returned in 29 cases and all of them have given "no cause for concern", the home secretary said.
A statement said to be written by Mr Litvinenko in his dying days in the University College Hospital pointed the finger at Russian president Vladimir Putin for poisoning him, but the Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Russian exile's death.