Radiation shows up on 2 jets in spy probe

Britain and Russia see tensions mounting.
LONDON (AP) -- Officials found traces of radiation on two British Airways jets as part of an investigation into the poisoning death of a former Russian spy, and the airline appealed Wednesday to tens of thousands of passengers who flew to Moscow or other cities to contact health authorities.
Two Boeing 767s at London's Heathrow Airport tested positive and a third was grounded in Moscow awaiting examination, British Airways said. The airline said that "the risk to public health is low" but that it was attempting to contact to some 33,000 passengers who have flown on the jets since Oct. 25.
The announcement was the latest twist in a case that has aggravated tensions between Britain and Russia and could strain sensitive negotiations on issues as diverse as energy, NATO expansion, and the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea.
Not reporting blame
Britain has been careful not to blame the Kremlin for the death of Alexander Litvinenko -- a former KGB agent and fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. But criticism of Putin's increasing authoritarianism has intensified since the poisoning -- even within Prime Minister Tony Blair's Cabinet.
The tests were conducted after the British government contacted British Airways on Tuesday night and told the airline to ground the jets and allow investigators looking into Litvinenko's death to examine them for possible radiation.
The search of the planes came as investigators checked places Litvinenko and others who met with him had visited in the weeks before he fell ill Nov. 1. Litvinenko had said before he died that a group of Russian contacts who met him Nov. 1 had traveled to London from Moscow.
Authorities would not say if the radiation on board the two jets was polonium-20. High doses of polonium-210 -- a rare radioactive element usually made in specialized nuclear facilities -- were found in Litvinenko's body, and traces of radiation have been found at six sites in London connected with the inquiry into his death Nov. 23.
All three on route
All three Boeing 767s had been on the London-Moscow route, British Airways said. In the last three weeks, the planes had also traveled to routes across Europe including Barcelona, Frankfurt and Athens. About 33,000 passengers had traveled on 221 flights on those planes, said Kate Gay, an airline spokeswoman. Three thousand crew and airport personnel had contact with the three planes.
The airline has published the flights affected on its Web site, and advised customers who took the flights to contact a special help line set up by the British Health Ministry.
"We want to ensure the absolute health of our passengers," Gay said, adding that the airline was working closely with police.
British Airways said it would not publish a list of passengers who had used the planes. It said data protection rules meant it could not even if it wanted to.
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