(22 May 2007) *WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO PICS OF ALEXANDER IN HOSPITAL*
HEADLINE: Chilling tape: Russian spy feared retribution
CAPTION: An extraordinary video surfaced of Alexander Litvinenko saying he feared retribution for claiming his bosses at the Federal Security Service ordered agents to kill, kidnap and frame prominent Russians. (May 22)
[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]
NB. This is a voiceover transcript, not a full shotlist:
[Notes:nats]
This extraordinary video captures the moment a young Russian spy first steps out of the shadowy world of the Russian intelligence services...
And perhaps, seals his fate.
[Notes:file video]
Here, Alexander Litvinenko-- second from the left-- claims his bosses ordered him to kill, kidnap and frame prominent Russians.
On the 19-98 tape, the former Federal Security Service agent admits he's worried about coming forward with the allegations.
And says he fears for the life or his wife and child.
[Notes:more nats]
But Litvineko says he decided to come forward because quote "If these people are not stopped, this lawlessness will flood the country."
Litvineko then says if they're not stopped it could be worse than 19-37 when Stalin staged a series of purges called the Great Terror.
The tape was apparently made nearly ten years ago when three Russian security agents met a guest house outside of Moscow.
It was suppose to be a kind of insurance, released only if something happened to one of them.
And something did.
[Notes:file photos]
Litvinenko died in London more than six months ago after becoming ill with polonium (poh-LOH'-nee-uhm) -210 poisoning.
On his deathbed-- he accused President Vladimir Putin of being behind his poisoning.
The Kremlin denies involvement.
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