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Wrap: New polonium poisoning cases in Germany

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The ex-wife of a witness in the case of a murdered former Russian security officer, her two children and boyfriend have been hospitalized in Germany with suspected polonium-210 poisoning, the head of the investigation team in Hamburg said Monday.
MOSCOW, December 11 (RIA Novosti) - The ex-wife of a witness in the case of a murdered former Russian security officer, her two children and boyfriend have been hospitalized in Germany with suspected polonium-210 poisoning, the head of the investigation team in Hamburg said Monday.

He said a medical examination will show if their organisms contain a dangerous concentration of the radioactive element. Authorities did not identify them by name.

Businessman Dmitry Kovtun met with defector Alexander Litvinenko around the time of his poisoning at the beginning of November. Litvinenko, an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin's administration and a close associate of fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky, died in a London hospital after four days in a critical condition.

His body was found to contain a lethal dose of radioactive polonium-210. Kovtun is now reported to have been hospitalized with similar symptoms.

Investigators also said traces of polonium-210 have been found on Kovtun's clothes and some articles in his former wife's Hamburg apartment, as well as in other apartments in Hamburg which he visited between October 28 and November 1.

Representatives of the investigative team also said "they have almost no doubt that Dmitry Kovtun brought polonium from Moscow."

British detectives, currently in Moscow for their probe into Litvinenko's murder, earlier spoke with Kovtun through their Russian counterparts.

Russian prosecutors may fly to London soon to probe the lethal poisoning of the former security service officer, a source close to the investigation said Monday.

Russian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation December 7 in parallel with the Scotland Yard-led probe into the killing of Litvinenko, who died of radioactive poisoning November 23, after a related murder attempt was allegedly made on one of his Russian contacts.

"The departure date has not yet been fixed, but most likely it will be in the next few days," the source said.

Experts from Scotland Yard arrived in Moscow last Monday to interview people who met with Litvinenko around the time of his poisoning.

The source said that Russian investigators would question businessman and former Federal Protection Service officer Andrei Lugovoi, another key witness, who met the former Russian agent in London on the day of his poisoning.

"His testimony may have a major effect on the course of the investigation, and investigators may have more questions, which can only be answered in London," the source said.

Last Wednesday, Russian and British investigators spoke with Kovtun, but Lugovoi's questioning was postponed several times, and he was finally questioned Monday.

Lugovoi refused to reveal what Russian prosecutors and Scotland Yard officers asked him.

"It is a secret of the investigation and I cannot divulge such information," Lugovoi told RIA Novosti, adding that he gave comprehensive answers to questions he was asked and that he is ready to meet with law enforcement officers once again if need be.

However, an inside source said investigators were interested in when, where, and with what purpose Lugovoi met with Litvinenko.

Litvinenko defected to the U.K. in 2000 and received British citizenship earlier this year.

Lugovoi and his business partner Dmitry Kovtun were hospitalized and screened for radiation. Lugovoi had gone to see the former Russian agent in London together with Kovtun.

Some media have been reporting since Thursday that Kovtun's health has drastically deteriorated, but Lugovoi said Kovtun's condition is stable.

Earlier on Monday, Lugovoi said the results of his own tests for radiation will be announced by the end of the week.

Western media have suggested the Po-210 used to poison Litvinenko might have been produced in the hotel room where Lugovoi stayed on a recent visit to London.

The potential suspect has consistently denied any involvement in the poisoning of the defector, and has expressed his willingness to cooperate with investigators.

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