Radioactivity: Britain’s new threat?

A lot of ink has been spilled about the death of Russian spy Litvinenko who had been poisoned in a Sushi bar at Picadilly Circus in November 2006. I myself have followed a very detailed report on the BBC about the Russian spy who courageously offered some criticism against the Putin regime. Litvinenko was investigating about the murder of a Russian journalist who was opposed to the Russian government and who had some constructive criticism to offer. Apparently freedom of speech is not to the KGB’s taste and those who want to live a long life in Russia better keep their mouths shut.
At the beginning, when we all heard about the news of Litvinenko’s poisoning, the media reported that he had been poisoned with thallium. In fact, the radioactive element he had swallowed, polonium 210, is very difficult to detect. A very insignificant quantity of the product, when swallowed, is sufficient to kill a human being.
Many people, Londoners in particular, fear that the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko could just be the first episode of a « nuclear » war between Russia and England. Matter of fact: the product is very easy to smuggle into any country and passes through the detector without posing any problem.
According to the Daily Mail, there are at least- inside and outside of London- 12 contaminated places. People’s concern grows as a former Russian premier felt ill in Ireland after being poisoned too.
Traces of polonium 210 could actually be found in planes and airports in and around London.
If it is very likely that Mr Putin and the KGB targeted Mr Litvinenko, I do think that they wouldn’t take the risk to spoil diplomatic relations between Russia and the UK, at least for some obvious economical reasons.
Whatever might happen anyway, people should stop worrying.
Worrying won’t change anything to a potential threat. Aren’t we already threatened by global warming, a potential pandemic of the bird flu’, terrorism?
London in itself is an unsafe place to live. Every single day is crowned at least by several murders, burglaries and stabbings. People who come back from work late might even find people lying in a pool of blood when they step out of the tube.
Face it: living in London exposes you to numerous dangers. Don’t add to your every day worries. Live your life to the fullest.
Copyright 2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved