'British Embassy in Moscow to be tested for radiation'

LONDON: The British Embassy in Moscow is to be tested for radiation in the next day or so, a spokesman for the British foreign ministry said.

The spokesman said that the tests will be carried out in one room of the embassy by a team of experts who have travelled from Britain to the Russian capital.

He described the tests as precautionary. "The embassy made clear today that they are having some precautionary tests done, but they don't expect to find anything," the Foreign Office spokesman said on Monday.

"This is part and parcel of sensible precautions taken by the embassy."

He could not specify when the tests would be carried out, however, or when they would be completed.

"I'm not quite sure of the timing. They'll try and do it as soon as they can," he said.

British counter-terrorism officers have arrived in Moscow to continue their investigation into the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Radiation scares have been triggered at several London locations, as well as on a handful of British Airways aircraft after large quantities of the radioactive substance polonium-210 were found in Litvinenko's urine.