Ex-spy's contact reportedly sick from radiation

Story Highlights

• Disputed report says Litvinenko associate in "critical" condition
• Seven London hotel workers test positive for low levels of radiation
• Russian prosecutors open case into poisoning death of Litvinenko
• Funeral of murdered ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko held in London

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Investigations into the death of Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko took a new twist Thursday with reports that one of his contacts was in critical condition in a hospital after showing signs of radiation sickness.

There were conflicting reports regarding the illness of Dmitry Kovtun, a businessman and former Russian agent who met Litvinenko on the day Litvinenko fell ill with radiation sickness. Another former agent, Andrei Lugovoi, also attended the meeting.

The Russian news agency Interfax, quoting anonymous sources, said Kovtun was in critical condition and in a coma. (Watch Litvinenko laid to rest amid inquiry, bitterness )

The news agency cited anonymous medical sources as saying Kovtun was displaying symptoms similar to Litvinenko's before he died. Kovtun fell ill almost immediately after he was interviewed by Russian and British investigators, Interfax reported.

However, Lugovoi's attorney, Andrei Romashov, told CNN he had spoken with Kovtun's attorney and that Kovtun was in no worse condition than he was when he met with the investigators. He said reports that Kovtun was in critical condition or in a coma were "made up."

Lugovoi said he also tested positive for radioactive poisoning and has checked into a Moscow hospital, his aide told CNN. Romashov said Lugovoi is undergoing tests to see if he is ill, and that his interview with British and Russian officials has been postponed indefinitely for reasons that were unclear.

Russia's prosecutor general's office said it will issue a statement Friday concerning Lugovoi.

British toxicologists found the rare substance polonium-210 in Litvinenko's body. He died November 23. The substance has been found in several places visited by Litvinenko or his associates.

On Wednesday, traces of radiation were found in the British Embassy in Moscow, a British diplomat told Interfax news agency, according to The Associated Press. The find did not represent a heath risk, it said.

On Thursday, Britain's Health Protection Agency said seven London hotel workers had tested positive for low levels of the radioactive element.

The staff worked in the bar at the Millennium Hotel, where Litvinenko, Kovtun and Lugovoi met. Officials said there was no short-term risk to their health.

Russia opens investigation

Earlier, the Russian prosecutor general's office said it had opened a criminal case into the death of Litvinenko, 43.

The move would allow suspects to be prosecuted in Russia. Officials previously have said that Russia would not allow the extradition of any suspects in the death.

British police said Wednesday they had reclassified the fatal poisoning case as a murder investigation after initially treating the incident as a suspicious death. Detectives plan to continue their investigation in Moscow. (Watch as the radioactive trail leads to Moscow)

The Russian prosecutor general's office also said it had opened a criminal investigation into the attempted killing of Kovtun.

Kovtun and Lugovoi have told the Russian media they went to London as part of a group of Moscow soccer fans and met briefly with their exiled countryman on November 1 to discuss business matters. Later, they attended a soccer game between CSKA Moscow and Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in north London.

Polonium-210 has been detected at the stadium, British officials said Wednesday.

Both men have told reporters in Moscow that someone is trying to frame them in Litvinenko's death.

Litvinenko buried in airtight coffin

Meanwhile, a private funeral and a memorial service took place in London for Litvinenko.

Litvinenko was buried in a sealed, airtight coffin to guard against the release of any traces still in his body of the deadly polonium-210 radioactive isotope. (Ex-spy's funeral)

Around 50 family members and friends traveled to Britain from Russia and Italy to attend the ceremony, according to a family friend who spoke to AP.

Before his death in London, the former FSB agent blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the poisoning.

The Kremlin has denied involvement, and Russian officials have pledged to give the British police all necessary support to carry out their inquiries. (Key players)

Another contact who met Litvinenko on November 1, Italian intelligence consultant Mario Scaramella, "showed no symptoms of radiation toxicity" when he left a London hospital Wednesday, the hospital said.

Scaramella had met Litvinenko at a London sushi bar. Scaramella was admitted on Friday night to University College Hospital, where he was undergoing tests. The hospital provided no further details on his condition.

In an exclusive interview with CNN before he left the hospital, Scaramella said he warned Litvinenko his life was in danger. (Full story)

"I received several e-mails from another source he [Litvinenko] introduced to me some years before, saying that him and me were under the special attention of hostile people, so to take care," Scaramella said.

He said he tried to warn Litvinenko that they were being targeted by "people linked with some clandestine organizations, not directly under control of Russian establishment but from Russia ... generally retired people from the security service."

The case has strained relations between Russia and Britain, which has given asylum to wealthy Kremlin critic Boris Berezovsky and Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev, as well as Litvinenko.

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