[ad_1]
LONDON – A man and a woman, now both in a coma in a hospital in southwestern England, were poisoned by the Novichok neurogenic agent, the same type of Soviet chemical weapon used in an attack against a four months ago, British investigators said the last two victims, identified by friends as British nationals, Charlie Rowley, 45, and Dawn Sturgess, 44, was found unconscious over the weekend. in a residential property in Amesbury a few kilometers from where a nerve agent was used in March to poison former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter, Yulia.
Witnesses told the British press that Rowley and Sturgess had succumbed to foaming, hallucinating and incoherent.
Tests to identify the poison in both cases were conducted by British scientists in a UK military research laboratory near Porton. Down, who specializes in chemical weapons work.
After a long treatment, the Skripals were released from a hospital and continue to recover in an undisclosed location, protected by the British authorities. Prime Minister Theresa May blamed Russia for the aggression of nerve agents against them
The last two casualties were found in Amesbury, about eight miles north of Salisbury, where the Skripals were attacked
. but they did not say how. Did the latest victims come into contact with residues of nerve agents used to poison the Skripals – or was it an additional attack?
Neil Basu, deputy commissioner of Scotland Yard, head of the anti-terrorist working group of 100 agents, said: are not able to tell if the nerve agent came from the same batch to which the Skripals were exposed. The possibility that these two surveys may be related is clearly an investigative avenue for us. "
Basu did not say how or where the latest victims were exposed to the nerve agent but added:" At this point, no one else has presented with the same symptoms related to this incident. . . . The priority of the investigation team is now to establish how these two people came into contact with this neurotoxic agent. "
He added:" I would add that the complex investigation into the murder attempts of Yulia and Sergei remains ongoing, and the detectives continue to sift and evaluate all available evidence and follow all the possible ways to identify those responsible for what remains an imprudent and barbarous criminal act. "
British police declared a" major incident "on Wednesday both victims were exposed.The local police initially suspected that both had consumed heroin or crack from a batch of tainted drug.
Sam Hobson, 29, a friend of Rowley and Sturgess, told the Daily Telegraph that the day before their illness, the three of them were in Salisbury by visiting a number of sites in the center of the city, not far from where the Skripals had been found
A spokesman for the prime minister said the incident was "treated with the utmost seriousness". police cordoned off several sites in Amesbury and Salisbury, where they suspected the couple were traveling, including a church, pharmacy and park.
Read more
Why Russia poisoned one of his ex-spies in Great Britain?
Great Britain to some 'One near a nerve agent attack: Keep calm and wash your belongings
was saved from one of the most deadly agents of all time
Cover of the day of postal correspondents in the world
Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
[ad_2]
Source link
