title: Ionizing radiation in secret services' conspirative actions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The death of Litvinenko has been reported by the media. It has raised the question whether this case had been unique. The fall of the wall has allowed a glimpse in the planning and comporting of a secret service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Documents of the secret service of the former German democratic republic (GDR), books of defectors, and media reports about secret service actions with radiating substances have been analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Since decades, secret services have been using radioactive nuclides and radiation for their tasks. Several killings with radiation have been reported. A complicated logistic had been developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only singular cases of the employment of radiating substances have become known. It is probable that the majority rests unknown. Government support seems necessary in secret services' conspirative actions with radiating substance.
authors.affiliation: Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Röntgenabteilung, Lohmühlenstrasse 5, 20099 Hamburg, Germany. Hermann.vogel@ak-stgeorg.lbk-hh.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lotz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D005859:Germany, East; D006801:Humans; D008891:Military Science; D009689:Nuclear Warfare / Q000145:classification*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D023481:Terrorism / Q000145:classification*; D014586:USSR