Moscow detects radiation on Finnair aircraft

MOSCOW, Dec 2 (Reuters) Russian authorities today delayed a flight by Finnish carrier Finnair from Moscow to Helsinki after detecting radiation on board, Russia's Transport Ministry said.

''After the plane landed in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and all passengers left it, we did some checks and found that the radiation level was above normal. The flight was delayed,'' a ministry official told Reuters.

Finnair's Airbus A319 was due to carry 70 passengers to the Finnish capital and then fly to Berlin. A Finnair official in Helsinki told Reuters the plane would soon get clearance to take passengers on board and take off.

Russian officials said this week they were on high alert following Britain's decision to monitor several planes for radiation as part of a wider probe into the death from poisoning of a former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko.

Litvinenko, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, died in London last week. The radioactive substance polonium 210 was found in his body and Litvinenko accused Putin of being behind his killing.

Russia's foreign spy service and many state officials denied any involvement.

British police found radioactive traces at 12 out of 24 locations being checked in connection with the death of Litvinenko.

British Airways said ''very low traces'' of a radioactive substance had been found on planes at London's Heathrow airport.

Litvinenko's friend Alex Goldfarb has said the news about the planes and their destinations could help trace Moscow's link to the poisoning.

REUTERS PB VC2058