NOVICHOK TARGETS TO STAY AWAY FROM POISONING INQUIRY

Risk Russia would try again too high

- DAN WARBURTON

THE targets of the Salisbury novichok poisonings will not give evidence during a public inquiry over fears Russian spies would attack them again.

Double agent Sergei Skripal, 73, and his daughter Yulia, 39, have also been told they must not even give evidence remotely, as Russian President Vladimir Putin's agents could work out their location.

And Lord Hughes of Ombersley, who is leading the inquiry, ruled that video and audio of the Skripals being interviewed by police must not be played, as the footage could be used to identify them now.

In an unprecedented move, documents containing sensitive information will be redacted before they are entered into the inquiry's IT system.

There are fears Kremlin agents could otherwise hack the files to create a hit list of counter-terrorism detectives and MI5/M16 officers.