In a riveting revelation, a senior counter-terrorism police officer has shed light on the painstaking hunt for the epicenter of the notorious novichok nerve agent attack that nearly claimed the lives of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England. The inquiry into the 2018 poisoning, which sent shockwaves through the international community, mobilized a staggering 250 officers and scientists in a race against time to pinpoint the source of the deadly toxin.
The Elusive ‘Ground Zero’
Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, disclosed to the ongoing inquiry that the search for ‘ground zero’ – the exact location where the Skripals came into contact with the nerve agent – was a complex and evolving process. Initial suspicions pointed to a restaurant, a pub, and even Skripal’s car before investigators finally zeroed in on the unassuming front door handle of Skripal’s Salisbury home nearly two weeks after the father and daughter were found critically ill on a city centre bench.
The Sobering Reality
Murphy described the chilling moment when the gravity of the situation became apparent. “It focuses the mind quite substantially,” he recounted. “I would describe it as a very sobering moment to realise there was a chemical warfare agent present in Salisbury. We were putting police officers in scenes that were contaminated with one of the most dangerous substances on the planet.”
“Ground Zero moved a few times.”
– Commander Dominic Murphy
The Investigative Trail
The inquiry heard how the investigative strategy involved methodically working backwards from the bench where the Skripals collapsed. Traces of the nerve agent were discovered in the pub they visited before lunch, then in even higher concentrations in Skripal’s BMW, leading investigators to initially believe the car could be ground zero. But it was the discovery of the toxin inside Skripal’s home that shifted the focus to the fateful front door handle.
On March 17, tests confirmed the presence of novichok on the door handle in staggeringly high quantities, despite exposure to rain, snow, and contact from numerous investigators. The handle was finally declared as the elusive ‘ground zero’.
The Human Cost
The inquiry also heard troubling accounts of the human toll of the attack. A third police officer reported experiencing worrying symptoms after searching Skripal’s house on the night of the poisoning. Skripal’s pets also fell victim, with his cat being euthanized due to likely contamination and his two pet guinea pigs succumbing to unknown factors during the ordeal.
The novichok attack claimed another life months later when local woman Dawn Sturgess fell ill and died after her partner Charlie Rowley discovered a discarded perfume bottle containing the nerve agent. The tragic incident underscored the indiscriminate and persistent danger posed by the toxin.
The Enduring Questions
As the inquiry proceeds, Murphy’s testimony offers a glimpse into the monumental scale and complexity of the investigation that gripped Salisbury and the world. Yet, questions linger. Who was behind the attack? What was their motive? And perhaps most unsettling – could a similar incident happen again?
The Skripal poisoning serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present specter of chemical weapons and the critical importance of robust counter-terrorism measures. As the inquiry delves deeper into this chilling chapter of recent history, the hope remains that the truth will be unearthed, justice will be served, and the world will be a safer place for it.
