POISONED AT ZIZZI?
Russian spy Sergei Skripal’s visit to Zizzi in Salisbury could be where Cold War-style poison trail began
A POISON trail around a Wiltshire city could have begun with Russian double agent Sergei Skripal's visit to Zizzi.
The retired spy, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, are both critically ill in Salisbury hospital.
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They were found slumped in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury where police said they were exposed to an unidentified substance.
Moscow-based Yulia is believed to have been visiting her dad Sergei, who lost his wife, son and older brother in the last two years.
Police declared a major incident and quarantined the A&E department, where up to 12 people began vomiting.
It sparked fears of a Kremlin-backed hit on Skripal, who was jailed for treason in Russia and came to Britain in a 2010 spy swap.
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What we know so far:
- Ex-KGB spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, are in a critical condition in hospital after being exposed to an 'unknown substance'
- Sergei and Yulia were found slumped on a bench in a 'catatonic state' on Sunday
- Anti-terror cops are investigating CCTV believed to show the Russian dad and daughter before the suspected 'poisoning' in Salisbury, Wilts
- Zizzi's and a nearby pub have been cordoned as police try to establish whether a crime has been committed
- Two police officers were taken to hospital suffering itchy eyes, wheezing and rashes
- Major incident was declared after at least 12 others suffered symptoms including vomiting
- Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson threatens to pull officials out of the World Cup if Russia was found responsible for the suspected poisoning.
- Russia's UK embassy deny special services were involved
- Reports say Sergei feared for his life after the death of his wife and son in car crashes
- Sergei was jailed for 13 years in 2006 after being found guilty of sharing Russian state secrets to MI6
- In 2010 he was swapped for glamour spy Anna Chapman as part of a deal between Russia and the US
- The incident echoes of the killing of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko
Zizzi's and pub closed while cops investigate
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An Italian restaurant and a pub have been closed while police investigate the suspected poisoning.
Zizzi restaurant has been shut along with the nearby Mill pub following the incident.
Officers in regular uniforms and plain clothes spoke to staff inside and worked in tents in the area the pair were found.
A member of Zizzi staff who answered the phone declined to comment.
Unconscious on a shopping centre bench
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Skripal and his daughter were reportedly found on Sunday afternoon collapsed on a bench in the shopping centre while one of them had been sick nearby.
Freya Church, who saw the couple on the bench, told the BBC they "looked so out of it".
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She said: "He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky.
"It looked like they had been taking something quite strong."
Fighting for life in hospital
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Russian double agent Skripal was taken to the city’s hospital by ambulance.
His daughter was flown by air ambulance and their arrival sparked the shutdown of the hospital’s A&E department.
Police declared a major incident and quarantined key locations including the A&E department, where up to 12 people began vomiting.
As emergency crews cleared the substance left near the bench, others were called to decontaminate the hospital.
Does this CCTV hold the clue?
CCTV of a man and woman walking through alley connecting Zizzi’s and bench where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was found critically ill
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CCTV has emerged today believing to show the pair behind a restaurant yards from where they were found in a "catatonic state".
The clip shows a man and woman walking in an alleyway which connects the Zizzi and the bench where the Sergei and Yulia were discovered "poisoned".
Police took away an image, shot at about 3.45pm on Sunday from a camera at Snap Fitness 24/7, according to the gym's manager.
Cain Prince, 28, said: "Police had a good look at the footage and were interested in these two people. It was the only image they took away.
"They wanted a list of everyone in the gym between 3pm and 4pm as well."
Mr Prince added police said Skripal was "wearing a green coat".
Cops outside former Russian spy's house
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Police arrived outside Skripal's £350,000 house in a leafy Salisbury street on Sunday evening.
Skripal appears to have tried to keep a low profile for the past eight years after starting a new life in Wiltshire.
But inquiries showed his name and address was, inexplicably, on the voters’ electoral roll and open to public scrutiny.
It was unclear whether he was still viewed as an asset by British intelligence or whether he had been given a safe house or a secret identity.
Neighbour Mark Medhurst, 43, told the that Skripal drove a BMW and kept the lights off at his home.
Another neighbour, James Puttock, 47, said Sergei invited people over for a housewarming party.
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Moment Russian double agent Sergei Skripal is arrested in 2004
Mr Puttock added: "He looked foreign but other than that, no, he didn't look like a spy.
"He never really looked smart, he looked very casual, he stood out because of that, it's hard to remember anything special about him."
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson today threatened to pull officials out of the World Cup if Russia was found to behind the suspected poisoning.
Bojo told MPs this afternoon it was "very difficult to imagine that UK representation to [the World Cup] could go ahead in the normal way".
Skripal was regarded as a traitor in Russia where he was jailed for 13 years in 2006.
The 66-year-old was accused of working for MI6 over several years, in particular disclosing the names of several dozen Russian agents working in Europe.
He was sentenced to 13 years in a high-security prison in August 2006, before being freed in a 2010 deal which saw 10 Russian sleeper agents expelled from the US.
Skripal retired from military intelligence, often known by its Russian-language acronym GRU, in 1999.
He went on to work at the Foreign Ministry until 2003 before becoming involved in business.
He was arrested in 2004 in Moscow and admitted he was recruited by British intelligence in 1995 and had provided information about GRU agents in Europe, for which he was paid more than £72,000 ($100,000).
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Four years later, he was freed and came to Britain in the high-profile spy swap with Chapman heading back to Russia as part of the deal.
The glamorous redhead, once ordered to seduce US whistleblower Edward Snowden, went on to become a model and media personality.
Sources said hardline president Vladimir Putin would never have forgiven Skripal after his conviction for treason.
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Former KGB chief Putin once said: “Traitors always end in a bad way. Usually from a drinking habit, or from drugs, right in the street.”
The Kremlin said today it was ready to cooperate if Britain asks it for help investigating the incident.
"Nobody has approached us with such a request," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters.
He added: “Moscow is always open for cooperation."
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