themaninblack 2,112 Posted November 20, 2006 Russian Dissident Alexander Litvinenko has been poisoned allegedly by the KGB. I don't know about you, but I think we have a high new entry to the DDP possibles chart! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Banshees Scream 110 Posted November 20, 2006 It appears he has been struck with a poison called Thallium Read about it here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thallium Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One shot Paddy 1,209 Posted November 20, 2006 It appears he has been struck with a poison called Thallium Read about it here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thallium Thallium, a very nasty substance, he may not make it to Jan 1st! It took me most of the day to remember the name Graham Young, he used Thallium to poison people he worked with. He also kept a diary of thier symptoms as they died! Nice bloke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,684 Posted November 20, 2006 Sickbed pictures, he might not live much longer but he wins easily in the Duncan Goodhew lookalike contest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted November 20, 2006 ''Yuri, I told you to slip him Valium, not Thallium!'' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cowboy Ronnie 78 Posted November 21, 2006 First they screw up trying to kill the Ukranian PM, now the KGB botches what should have been an even more straightforward assassination attempt. When added to the CIA's failure to find any WMD in Iraq, I've come to the conclusion that modern spy agencies are pretty much rubbish. Where are SMERSH or SPECTRE when the world needs 'em? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M.Lawrenson 11 Posted November 21, 2006 It's not the first time this has happened. Remember Georgy Markov, the man killed by a 'poisoned umbrella'? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cowboy Ronnie 78 Posted November 21, 2006 It's not the first time this has happened. Remember Georgy Markov, the man killed by a 'poisoned umbrella'? That's sort of my point, ML. Back in the day not only did spies come up with the outrageously ingenious modus operandi of a poison tipped umbrella, it actually worked. Now, despite all the fancy new potions and poultices available, all they can do is make the guy look 20 years older. And balder. Much, much balder. Same thing holds true for the modern terrorist. At least the IRA had the cojones to go after Maggie Thatcher, at a Tory party conference no less. Nowadays it's all about getting on a bus somewhere and blowing up 25 complete innocents. Any fool could do that. When I were a lad...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,684 Posted November 21, 2006 Take yer points guys but there are two things worth considering before we label this a cak handed attempt. i - Modern survellience makes culprits easier to spot and track, a slow acting poison means that even if M15 had someone under survellience s/he could have been out of the country before the crime was spotted. ii - Maybe the point of this gesture was to show it could be done, in which case a lingering will he/won't he die debate as his bone marrow totally fails, achieves the desired result because it serves as a high profile, lingering reminder to others. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Hackenslash 25 Posted November 21, 2006 .....At least the IRA had the cojones to go after Maggie Thatcher, at a Tory party conference no less.... No, if they had balls they could have snipered the Queen with ease - details of where she'll be are available months in advance. By relying on a bomb, they were always leaving it chance, hence terrorising, rather than actually doing. And as any former soldier will tell you, the IRA have always been better at selling crack to kids than their planning ability... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,684 Posted November 21, 2006 Snipering the Queen.....might've been counter productive when it came to raising funds in the USA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One shot Paddy 1,209 Posted November 22, 2006 Snipering the Queen.....might've been counter productive when it came to raising funds in the USA. Im not so sure, they still got lots of money and guns after blowing up Louis Mountbatten. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lady Die 63 Posted November 23, 2006 Going going.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cowboy Ronnie 78 Posted November 23, 2006 I notice the Italian guy he also met with on the fateful day is called Scaramella, which is close enough to Scaramanga to make me wonder if he has three nipples and a midget butler named Nick Nack... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_with_..._Gun_%28film%29 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monoclinic 39 Posted November 23, 2006 Going going.... Gone Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Octopus of Odstock 2,217 Posted November 23, 2006 Indeed so - from Yahoo News Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rotten Ali 600 Posted November 23, 2006 Going going.... Gone Top marks for a most well timed first post - may I extend you a warm welcome to the board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted November 23, 2006 Probably the shortest stay in my DDP list... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M.Lawrenson 11 Posted November 23, 2006 Probably the shortest stay in my DDP list... Well, these things are done more efficiently these days eg. no more slowly killing deposed Emperors with arsenic impregnated wallpaper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rotten Ali 600 Posted November 23, 2006 Probably the shortest stay in my DDP list... Never ever took the trouble to list him on mine - since its a sod to spell and these nasty russian spy tricks are all too effective in a short space of time. The next questions must be to find the exact cause of death and a launch a full investigation of the material handed over and as to who was responsible for this henus crime. Betting starts on those who are ex KGB members - oh was that a previous job than Putin had? Look who was being critisized? oh - looks like that Mr Putin's in the frame yet again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth in Asia 1,088 Posted November 24, 2006 Going going.... in the balalaika farm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Godot 149 Posted November 24, 2006 As a child of the Cold War I can't get over how the world has changed. An ex-Russian spy dies in mysterious circumstances and we care about it. Now that is new. Spies die sometimes. You see it in James Bond films. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Typhoid Harry 23 Posted November 24, 2006 Going going.... Gone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canadian Paul 97 Posted November 24, 2006 Not thallium, but polonium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themaninblack 2,112 Posted November 24, 2006 Not thallium, but polonium. Perhaps he didn't 'ingest' it. Maybe he could have ben subject to some device, like a microwave, so it passes into his body, without him noticing at the time? Update: Polonium could only have been ingested as the alpha-waves cannot penetrate the skin, so that's my little theory put to bed.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
