Russian spy: Source of nerve agent 'not identified'
The precise source of the nerve agent used to poison a former Russian spy and his daughter has not been verified, according to the head of the Porton Down defence laboratory.
The research facility, which identified the substance in Salisbury as Novichok, said it was likely to have been deployed by a "state actor".
Chief executive Gary Aitkenhead dismissed Russian claims it might have come from the UK military laboratory.
Moscow denies any involvement.
"We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to [the] government who have then used a number of other sources to piece together the conclusions," Mr Aitkenhead told Sky News.
"It is our job to provide the scientific evidence of what this particular nerve agent is - we identified that it is from this particular family and that it is a military grade, but it is not our job to say where it was manufactured."
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with the nerve agent on 4 March.
No comments:
Post a Comment