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UK police identify nerve agent poisoning suspects as Russians: Source

This article is more than 12 months old

LONDON: British police believe they have identified the suspects who carried out the Novichok nerve agent attack on a former Moscow double agent and his daughter and that they are Russian, the Press Association reported yesterday.

"Investigators believe they have identified the suspected perpetrators of the Novichok attack through CCTV and have cross-checked this with records of people who entered the country (at) that time," a source told PA, a British news agency. "They are sure (the suspects) are Russian."

Mr Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, collapsed in the English city of Salisbury on March 4 after being exposed to Novichok. Both have since recovered.

Britain blamed Russia for the poisoning. Russia has denied involvement.

Subsequently, two Britons fell ill after being exposed to Novichok. Mr Charlie Rowley, 45, and his partner, Ms Dawn Sturgess, collapsed in his house in Amesbury, a town close to Salisbury, on June 30.

Ms Sturgess, 44, died on July 8, while Mr Rowley is in stable condition. The death is being investigated as murder.

Police have said it was detected in a "small bottle" at Mr Rowley's house. His brother, Matthew, told the BBC it was a bottle of perfume.

Investigators are working on the theory that Ms Sturgess sprayed Novichok on her skin. the PA source said. - AFP

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