Russian spy attempted murder - what should the UK do?

But he was in the country because he spied for us.
He was in because of a spy swap, otherwise he would stll be in a Russian jail.
Are you saying we shouldn't want to get our own spies back, or that we shouldn't have spies?

PaddyAnn You will also be aware of the supposed suicide of Willie McCrae, whom I knew personally. Let's just say that I have been advised from all sides to 'know nothing'.

As to Dr Kelly, a friend of a friend, who was a newspaper editor had already received a D notice BEFORE the alleged suicide took place.

He was in this country as the Russian's wanted their spies back and it was a swap. Are we going to go in and kill the spies in Russia he was swapped for? It seems that the US have refused to take in spies as a swap. I can see why.

I think it is frightening that they will do this on our soil. It shows how hard faced they are. I was in the services in the early sixties it is just like the Cold War all over again. I was involved in the Cuba crisis. The trouble is they know we play by rules and they don't.

For what it’s worth, I think that Kelly’s death left a great many unanswered questions; it was very suspicious in my opinion.
As for the current situation, I feel very sorry for everyone involved; in particular I believe that the poor daughter was simply unfortunate to be with her father at the time of the attack. It would seem that her father was the real target, but why after so many years of living peacefully here (apparently peacefully anyway) was he suddenly disposed of so cruelly, well attempted to be disposed of anyway. I feel very sorry for all the victims, such a horrible way to die. I hope they all recover and are not left terribly disabled.

And yes Marieeliz, it is very, very frightening that this has been done on our soil, and indeed previous attacks that have been carried out here.

The rest of his family died under questionable circumstances too. Are they exhuming his wife and son or taking samples from the remains?

Apparently his son, who died young, was cremated, but there is a tent over the grave of his wife.

Durhamjen, was he still spying then? I was under the impression that after the spy swop, he just retired here and got on with his life. Perhaps I’m naive, but I thought he was no longer spying. You read a great deal more ‘stuff’ than I read (I can tell from all your quotes) and maybe you’ve read a bit more about it. Maybe I’m taking it all at face value and not looking underneath.
Still feel sorry for them though, and rather outraged that this has been done on our soil.

He was paid to do a job and knew the risks. If he was in a Russian jail, it would not have happened to him and his family.. and risks others lives. So his life is worth more than everyone else’s because he spied?

Oh, I didn’t know the rest of the family died under questionable circumstances aswell Jalima, that was news to me. What a horrible situation this all is.

Just another case of providing speculation without evidence in order to ensure that we - 'Joe Public' - follow the government's propaganda line.

We have to follow the government guidance on what to think about Russia, or anyone further east than say Vienna, in order to avoid the truth that the 'West" is aiding and abetting the proxy war being fought by the US and its allies against Russia in the Middle East.

No real change I suppose.

Dr Kelly's death is still appoint of contention - irrespective of any domestic stress - he was clearly set up as Tom Watson pointed out at the time, in order to fulfil Bush & Blair's wishes about WMD in Iraq. The UN inspector Hans Blix found no evidence, and his investigation was cut short because the US was after oil and control in its proxy war.

If anything at that time the UK was the 'fall guy'.

Again nothing changes.

Today we have the EU being targeted by government propaganda and the right wing press as the enemy, in order that we do as we're told.

As Confuscius said - "may you live in interesting times".

This particular incident, whilst appalling, seems to be dominating the media overmuch. A good time to bury bad news, perhaps? Goodness knows what unsavoury chunks of legislation and schemes to hoodwink/cheat the British public our government have been slipping under the radar......

We don't know what the nerve agent used was Therefore, I suppose we don't know whether the people who came in contact with it through helping them will have any long term effects which could manifest later on. It is this aspect of the "hit" which bothers me. Ok, if you want to send out a message to your own people that traitors will never get away with it then it could be carried out in a way that would not put innocent bystanders at risk.
When my husband was working in Prague a few years back one of his older colleagues who had lived his life under the communist regime told me many stories of cruelty and stated that to the Russians human life was cheap - it meant nothing!

The current situation is a False Flag. As for David Kelly's death -- why would an eminent scientist take his own life with pain killers and a rusty pen knife. He worked at Porton Down (8 miles down the road from Salisbury ) and would have found a better way.

Maddyone, I said that because Lyndie said we should be careful who we let into the country.
I was just explaining why he was let into the country.
The Russians got 10 sleepers back for 4 western spies, UK and US.

There would be similar responses from the British public if a british person passed on information about agents to another country.

Nothing will be done, such a corrupt country, even cheat at athletics.

Thanks Jen, I think we should get spies back rather than be in prison if we can, I don’t think it’s got anything to do with being careful about who comes in the country, which is what I think you’re saying Jen. I don’t think he would still be spying as he now lives here anyway.
To me, it shows a total disregard for human life, but the Russians just see him as a traitor, and think the punishment fits the crime. That is of course, assuming the Russians have done this, but frankly I can’t see who else would have done it!

Unfortunately, if it is the Russians (and I can't see who else) they believe in the saying 'The sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the children'.

Yes Granny23 I am aware of the Willie McRae case,but asthis site is occupied mainly by southern dwellers I thought Dr Kelly's case would be better known to them.As I said I dont believe these incidents are rare ,just very well hushed up....and anyone who thinks the British government dont involve themselves in the same scenario needs a wee reality check !

In answer to how the policeman may have been contaminated, the detective sergeant was the first on the scene, CPR was carried out. It's unlikely that the DS was wearing latex gloves when he would do a preliminary mouth sweep, standard procedure before commencing CPR.
Poor people, I hope they all make a complete recovery.

It is of course very sad when someone is murdered but as with the terrorist attacks Britain has suffered recently it is important to try to catch the criminal responsible rather than blaming everyone with the same religion or from the same country or culture.
There seems to be a lot of sabre rattling going on at the moment and I really hope the government isn't considering doing anything rash .
I can remember a few years ago there was a British spy found dead in a suitcase in his bath somewhere in London. We never got to the bottom of what happened to the poor man. It seems that people only get cross when a Russian or a Muslim commits a crime otherwise it just gets forgotten.

margs you have been reading about too many conspiracy theories perhaps!

This incident is quite rightly dominating the media at the moment.

judy That was what I thought too, (the police officer)but he went to the house the next day ( or later on anyway) and he became ill after that visit, so it would seem the material, whatever it was, had somehow got into the house, a parcel perhaps? A doctor who treated the daughter for 30 mins at the scene was absolutely fine .

I don’t agree with your comment Rachel and don’t think that any murder committed here gets ‘forgotten’ although I hear that it does in Russia ( and quite a lot!)