6 WAYS HITMEN COULD HAVE EXPOSED COUPLE TO THE DEADLY NERVE AGENT
DETECTIVES have confirmed Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with a nerve agent. The deadly toxins often take the form of an innocuous-looking clear liquid, and just a drop on the skin can kill within minutes. But the question remains, how was it administered? These are the most likely theories:
1 POISONED FLOWERS
Skripal regularly placed plastic flowers on his late wife Liudmila’s grave, but last Sunday, unusually, according to a source, he took a fresh bunch. The deadly bouquet could have been taken to his house by a hit squad after being laced with poison.
2 A ‘TROJAN HORSE’
Some sources have suggested Yulia may have unwittingly brought a poisoned package, known as a ‘Trojan Horse’, into her father’s home. It would have had to remain stable until activated – possibly concealed in a gift of vodka or cigars.
3 THE ZIZZI MEAL
Skripal and his daughter ate garlic bread and seafood risotto in a branch of Zizzi just before they fell ill, so their food could have been poisoned. But that would have required the hitman to have access to the kitchen – and know which dish would go to their table.
4 THE MILL PINT
The couple also went to The Mill pub in the Maltings which has been sealed off by police all week. The potent toxin could have somehow been slipped into their drinks without the bar staff being aware.
5 THE LETHAL LETTER
The would-be assassins could have simply had the deadly chemicals delivered to Skripal’s house in a letter or parcel. The ploy is simple but, because his symptoms appear to have developed rapidly while he was in Salisbury town centre rather than at home, seems less likely.
6 THE FACE SPRAY
CCTV has captured images of an unknown couple walking close behind the Skripals just before they collapsed on a bench. They could have sprayed the nerve agent at them. The shocking tactic was used in the VX nerve agent attack on Kim Jong-Un’s brother last year.