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Magnitsky might have been poisoned with substance created for sabotage, says prosecutor

Russia’s Investigative Committee is now probing into the possibility of Magnitsky’s intentional poisoning

© Mikhail Pochuev/TASS

MOSCOW, November 19. /TASS/. Investigation is considering the possibility lawyer Sergei Magnitsky was poisoned with a chemical agent created for sabotage, Russian Prosecutor General’s Office spokesman Mikhail Alexandrov told a news briefing on Monday.

"There is evidence indicating that the deaths (of Magnitsky and William Browder’s other partners - TASS) were violent ones. One of the lines of inquiry is he was poisoned with chemical agents used for sabotage. These substances contain an aluminum compound. They caused acute liver failure that looked like death by natural causes," Alexandrov said. "When he received from Magnitsky a false statement of provocative nature, Browder was interested in his death more than anybody else."

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"Forensic examination of biological samples taken from [Browder’s partners] Gasanov, Korobeinikov, Kurochkin and Magnitsky makes it possible to conclude that the mentioned persons had symptoms of chronic poisoning with toxic, soluble inorganic substances introduced into their bodies."

Alexandrov said that Russia had not conducted detailed examination of such substances yet.

"Detailed analysis and science information indicate that toxicological research into aluminum compounds have been carried out for several decades only at research centers in such countries as the United States, France and Italy," he said. "Such compounds can be made only in special laboratories."

Russia’s Investigative Committee is now probing into the possibility of Magnitsky’s intentional poisoning, Alexandrov added.

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