INTRO: A public inquiry into the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko has opened in London…
The 43-year-old died after drinking tea containing radioactive polonium-210 (two-ten) following a meeting with two Russian spies in 2006.
Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina says she hopes the inquiry will reveal the truth about her husband's death.
Our UK correspondent Dan Whitehead reports…
IN: More than eight…
OUT: …SOC, London.
DUR: 2'25"
AIR: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-air.mp3
ARN: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-arn.mp3
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ICRT: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-icrt.mp3
RNZ: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-vatican.mp3
VON: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-von.mp3
ZIZ: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-ziz.mp3
VO 1: More than eight years after Alexander Litvinenko died, an inquiry, which was initially blocked by the British government, is now underway…
Just weeks after meeting with two Russian spies in 2006 at a posh London hotel, Mr Litvinenko died from radiation poisoning.
The Russians continue to deny any involvement - Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina now wants the truth...
CUT 1: Marina Litvinenko: "The public will be able to follow the case. Because the amount of insinuations, opinions, speculation has reached a critical point, some people say they still have no idea how he died. The Russian side continues to deny the fact he died at all or the causes of his death. I want to end all the speculation. There will be official documents and none of the sides will be able to use what happened in London for their personal benefit."
VO 2: The judge-led inquiry is being chaired by Sir Robert Owen, who was originally appointed as the coroner at Mr Litvinenko's inquest.
He delayed that inquest because it was prevented from considering sensitive evidence due to national security fears.
CUT 2: Sir Robert Owen, Chief Coroner: "As I have explained, the purpose of establishing the inquiry was not to alter the scope of the investigation, but rather to enable me properly to investigate the issue of Russian state responsibility."
VO 3: The British government originally blocked a full inquiry, but that was overturned by the High Court after a legal battle by Marina Litvinenko.
The family's lawyer Elena Tsirlina says this is about establishing the facts…
CUT 3: Elena Tsirlina, Litvinenko family's lawyer: "Because it has taken quite a long time to bring it to fruition people get lost between fiction and reality, just a little bit. That is why we are holding the public inquiry to get at the core facts which will bring out the truth."
VO 4: The inquiry is expected to last up to 10 weeks.
Ahead of the inquiry, Mrs Litvinenko recalled her husband saying on his deathbed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for "everything that happened to him"…
The Kremlin denies any involvement - Alexander Litvinenko's family hope the evidence heard here will finally uncover the truth.
Dan Whitehead, SOC.
ENDS
The 43-year-old died after drinking tea containing radioactive polonium-210 (two-ten) following a meeting with two Russian spies in 2006.
Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina says she hopes the inquiry will reveal the truth about her husband's death.
Our UK correspondent Dan Whitehead reports…
IN: More than eight…
OUT: …SOC, London.
DUR: 2'25"
AIR: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-air.mp3
ARN: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-arn.mp3
FM4: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-fm4.mp3
GEN: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-generic.mp3
G24: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-g24.mp3
ICRT: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-icrt.mp3
RNZ: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-vatican.mp3
VON: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-von.mp3
ZIZ: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0127litvinenko-dw-pkg-ziz.mp3
VO 1: More than eight years after Alexander Litvinenko died, an inquiry, which was initially blocked by the British government, is now underway…
Just weeks after meeting with two Russian spies in 2006 at a posh London hotel, Mr Litvinenko died from radiation poisoning.
The Russians continue to deny any involvement - Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina now wants the truth...
CUT 1: Marina Litvinenko: "The public will be able to follow the case. Because the amount of insinuations, opinions, speculation has reached a critical point, some people say they still have no idea how he died. The Russian side continues to deny the fact he died at all or the causes of his death. I want to end all the speculation. There will be official documents and none of the sides will be able to use what happened in London for their personal benefit."
VO 2: The judge-led inquiry is being chaired by Sir Robert Owen, who was originally appointed as the coroner at Mr Litvinenko's inquest.
He delayed that inquest because it was prevented from considering sensitive evidence due to national security fears.
CUT 2: Sir Robert Owen, Chief Coroner: "As I have explained, the purpose of establishing the inquiry was not to alter the scope of the investigation, but rather to enable me properly to investigate the issue of Russian state responsibility."
VO 3: The British government originally blocked a full inquiry, but that was overturned by the High Court after a legal battle by Marina Litvinenko.
The family's lawyer Elena Tsirlina says this is about establishing the facts…
CUT 3: Elena Tsirlina, Litvinenko family's lawyer: "Because it has taken quite a long time to bring it to fruition people get lost between fiction and reality, just a little bit. That is why we are holding the public inquiry to get at the core facts which will bring out the truth."
VO 4: The inquiry is expected to last up to 10 weeks.
Ahead of the inquiry, Mrs Litvinenko recalled her husband saying on his deathbed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for "everything that happened to him"…
The Kremlin denies any involvement - Alexander Litvinenko's family hope the evidence heard here will finally uncover the truth.
Dan Whitehead, SOC.
ENDS