英首相保证对前俄罗斯间谍被神经毒剂所伤做出“恰当”回应

British Prime Minister Theresa May is promising an "appropriate" response if it is discovered that Russia is responsible for poisoning a former Russian spy and his daughter.

"But let's give the police the time and space to actually conduct their investigation," she told ITV news Thursday. "Of course if action needs to be taken, then the government...will do that properly at the right time and on the basis of the best evidence."

Home Secretary Amber Rudd told Parliament "the use of a nerve agent on British soil is a brazen and reckless act. This was attempted murder in the most cruel and public way."

A police official told Britain's Sky News a total of 21 people were injured by the nerve agent released near a shopping center in the southern city of Salisbury. Three people are still in the hospital -- the apparent intended target, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal; his daughter, Yulia; and British policeman Nick Bailey, who came to their aid after he found the two slumped unconscious on an outdoor bench.

Skripal and his daughter were still unconscious and in critical condition as of late Thursday. Bailey was in serious condition, but awake.

Police have been examining security camera footage of the crime scene and are reportedly focusing their attention on a man and woman spotted nearby.

Police have not publicly talked about the nerve agent that poisoned Skripal or who might have been responsible. But suspicions are pointing to Russia.

Skripal served in Russia's military intelligence agency, GRU. He was exchanged in a Cold War-type spy swap in 2010 on the runway at Vienna's airport. After serving four years in prison in Russia for spying for Britain's espionage service, MI6, Skripal was one of four Russian double agents exchanged for 10 Russians expelled from the United States, including Manhattan socialite Anna Chapman.

The incident is drawing comparisons to the case of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian KGB officer-turned-British intelligence agent and a highly public critic of President Vladimir Putin. Litvinenko died an agonizing death days after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 in a London hotel in 2006. British doctors struggled in that case to identify the substance that killed him.

英国首相特蕾莎·梅保证，如果发现俄罗斯幕后策划了用神经毒剂刺杀前俄罗斯间谍谢尔盖·斯科利帕和他女儿一事，将做出“恰当的”回应。

特蕾莎·梅首相星期四告诉独立电视资讯说：“但是我们应该给警方时间和空间，让他们完成调查。当然了，如果需要采取行动的话，政府会在正确的时间，以最有力的证据为基础采取行动。”

英国内政大臣拉德告诉议会说：“在英国境内使用神经毒剂是肆无忌惮的行为，是最残酷最公开的蓄意谋杀。”

警方一位官员告诉英国天空电视台说，在英国南部索尔兹伯里镇一个购物中心附近释放的神经毒剂共伤及21人，其中3人仍在住院治疗，包括袭击目标前俄罗斯间谍谢尔盖·斯科利帕、他的女儿尤利娅和在户外长椅上发现他们不省人事而赶来救助的英国警察贝利。

谢尔盖·斯科利帕和他女儿星期四晚上依然处于昏迷状态，贝利虽有意识，但情况危急。

警方检查了闭路电视图像，据报道已把目光对准曾出现在附近的一男一女。

警方尚未公开作案使用的神经毒剂和涉案嫌疑人，但是所有疑点都指向俄罗斯。

斯科利帕曾为俄罗斯军事情报机构总参情报总局效力，后来为英国情报机构军情六处刺探情报，在俄罗斯监狱里被关了四年。2010年，在一次带有冷战风格的交换被捕间谍行动中，斯科利帕在维也纳机场的跑道获释。俄罗斯释放了他和另外三名俄罗斯双料间谍，换回被美国驱逐的10名俄罗斯深层卧底特工，包括曼哈顿社交名媛、外交官之女安娜·查普曼。

这起事件令人联想起亚历山大·利特维年科之死。他曾是俄罗斯克格勃特工，后来为英国情报机构效力。他还高调批评俄罗斯总统普京。2006年，利特维年科在伦敦一家酒店喝了被放入钋-210辐射物质的茶，几天之后痛苦地死去。英国医生当时很难查明致死物质。