NATIONAL: Nerve agent in Salisbury attack '˜clearly came from Russia' says US secretary of state

THE nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter in Salisbury came from Russia and '˜will certainly trigger a response' says US secretary of state Rex Tillerson.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Mar 2018, 06:17 BST
Updated 13th Mar 2018, 07:19 BST
Military personnel in College Street Car Park in Salisbury, as police and members of the armed forces probe the suspected nerve agent attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA WireMilitary personnel in College Street Car Park in Salisbury, as police and members of the armed forces probe the suspected nerve agent attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Military personnel in College Street Car Park in Salisbury, as police and members of the armed forces probe the suspected nerve agent attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Mr Tillerson’s comments amount to the strongest US response yet to Theresa May’s declaration that it was ‘highly likely’ Russia was behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury on March 4.

The Prime Minister told MPs that the highly dangerous substance used in the attack was a military-grade Novichok nerve agent produced by Russia.

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She set a deadline of midnight on Tuesday for Moscow to explain whether it was behind the attack or had lost control of its stockpile of the poison.

In a formal statement released after a phone call with foreign secretary Boris Johnson, the US secretary of state said: ‘We have full confidence in the UK’s investigation and its assessment that Russia was likely responsible for the nerve agent attack that took place in Salisbury last week.

‘Those responsible – both those who committed the crime and those who ordered it – must face appropriately serious consequences.’