Paul Joyal, a reported ‘acquaintaince’ of Alexander Litvinenko was shot and critically injured in the driveway of his Washington DC home, just days after giving an interview on Dateline NBC critical of President Putin:
In the “Dateline” interview, Joyal accused the Russian government of being part of a conspiracy to silence its critics.
“A message has been communicated to anyone who wants to speak out against the Kremlin: ‘If you do, no matter who you are, where you are, we will find you, and we will silence you — in the most horrible way possible,’ ” Joyal said.
Joyal is now in critical, but improving, condition in a Washington hospital.
Evidence so far is leaning towards this being a fairly random - if horribly unfortunate for the victim - shooting. For one thing, Joyal lives in a high crime area - these things do happen. And, secondly, he’s a US national, based in the US. There are plenty of those who are critical of Vladimir Putin, and the current Russian government. The KGB would have a hard time silencing them all…
Still, keep an eye on this story over the next few days, to see what develops.
Update: La Russophobe notes a possible connection with Georgia.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
The scary thing is that, given the amount of pressure already on the Kremlin in the wake of the Litvinenko killing, if the KGB were going to move against Joyal they’d need to make it look like a random killing, particularly if they dared to attack somone in the United States.
And even scarier is that even if this attack does turn out to be random street violence, isn’t it possible that it’s only a matter of time until we hear about something that isn’t? Who in their right mind can say the Kremlin wouldn’t be capable of ordering this attack? And how can Russia possibly participate in the community of nations at the highest level with such a reputation?
March 5th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
”And even scarier is that even if this attack does turn out to be random street violence, isn’t it possible that it’s only a matter of time until we hear about something that isn’t?”
What kind of ridicuous statment is that? The killing is either Moscow related or it isnt, end of story. Do you do anything but wildy speculate? Have you ever actually yourself contributed factual information anytime in your life(I dont mean your copy and paste jobs from the Moscow Times, they arent yours)
Or do anything apart from call people sluts, whores etc?
March 5th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
ANDY: I’m curious about something. It seems you are implying you think it would be “illogical” for the Kremlin to attack a critic in America because there are so many of them that it couldn’t get them all. Another reason might be simple respect for American power and the prospect of retaliation.
Now, let’s say I agree with you that it would be illogical (I don’t; I think that individual high-profile killings could have a deterrent effect that could well silence many others left alive).
Are you really sure that the Kremlin (and Russian people generally) are incapable of acting illogcially (even irrationally)?
Couldn’t one argue, in fact, that Russians have made many irrational decisions, and so has the Kremlin? Isn’t it arguably irrational to elect a proud KGB spy president so soon after the KGB did so much harm to the nation (and the world)? Isn’t it arguably irrational to spend so much on the military when there are so many social problems, and irrational to stand idly by whilst the government takes over TV news and local elections? Isn’t it irrational for Russia to provoke the U.S. into a new arms race and cold war conflict?
Are you saying the Kremlin is always rational, and the Russian people are too?
March 6th, 2007 at 5:31 am
LR, answer the question I asked you and stop avoiding like the coward that you are. On both your site and on this site I have consistently buried you. Are you incapable of answering entirely reasonable questions or are you really the complete idiot everyone thinks you are?
Your statement ”American power and the prospect of retaliation” is hilarious. Are you joking? What retaliation precisely did you have in mind? Russia is not Iraq. Its not Somalia(where you got your arses kicked in 1993), Serbia or Nicaragua. Its not one of the usual ”great nations” the US attacks. What are the US going to do, exactly? Apart from denying visas? Stop sending chicken legs, maybe? Deny Russia a few washed up, badly dressed english teachers?
Why dont you answer what I asked you above? Because you are a coward, full of crap and incapable of even backing up your own stupid arguments.
Clearly being educated in Ireland didnt teach you anything useful. At least we Irish will fight our points.
March 18th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Robbery is cover-up. Russian style. Another critique of Putin became a victim of Russian KGB.
See the pattern? Before being killed, a victim would meet a “former” KGB officer?
Litvinenko met Lugovoy.
Mr. Joyal an hour before he was shot met Kalugin.
Is Kalugin a witness or a suspect?