Ex-Brit MI6 spy Christopher Steele behind ‘dirty Kremlin dossier on Donald Trump’ ‘worked with Alexander Litvinenko before Russian spook was murdered with radioactive poison’
A FORMER Brit spy named as the man behind the lurid dossier against Trump once worked with murdered Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, it has been claimed.
Ex-MI6 agent Christopher Steele's identity was last night revealed, forcing the 51-year-old to flee his Surrey home, asking neighbours to look after his cat.
The 52-year-old, who was reportedly hired by one of the President-elect's rivals to compile the information against Trump, has now been left "terrified for his and his family's safety" after being named.
But while Donald Trump has vehemently denied the accusations made in the dossier, saying it was "all fake news", more information about Steele's former work has come to light.
The expert in intelligence analysis and counter-terrorism served with MI6 for almost two decades with claims he once worked with Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko.
A source told : "I think he (Mr Steele) was one of the people who was working with Litvinenko."
The wife of the former Russian spy, who was murdered in 2006, said that while she did not recognise Steele's name, it was probable that he had used an alias.
She said: "Sasha (Alexander) had some communication with people with different names, which could be why I can’t help."
reported that Steele was "surprised" by what happened to Litvinenko.
The former Russian spy was killed in November 2006, with the 43-year-old having worked with the Federal Security Service - the successor to the KGB.
Fleeing to the UK, he was killed by radioactive polonium-210, which he is believed to have drunk in a cup of tea.
After his death, it was revealed he had been paid by MI6.
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An inquest into Litvinenko's death found that he had been murdered in a FSB operation - that could have been on the personal orders of Vladimir Putin himself.
Former Brit spy Steele was reportedly a highly-respected expert in Russian affairs.
Since his work with the agency, he became the director of Orbis Business Intelligence, based in West London, along with colleague Christopher Burrows, according to a story published tonight in the respected
When approached at his home last night, Mr Burrows, 58, said he could not “confirm or deny” that Orbis had produced the report - which is claimed to contain "compromising" evidence.
In previous weeks Mr Steele has declined repeated requests for interviews through an intermediary, who said the subject was “too hot”, the WSJ reported.
Trump has called the dossier “sick” and “all fake news” and denied the sordid allegations.
Unidentified intelligence officials cited by CNN said that the source of the documents was a credible former MI6 agent and that he had worked in Russia in the 1990s.
A LinkedIn profile for Mr Steele did not give specifics about his career.
Intelligence officers often use diplomatic postings as cover for their espionage activities.
Orbis Business Intelligence’s website said it was formed in 2009 by former British intelligence professionals.
The firm says it relies on a “global network” of experts and business leaders, provides clients with strategic advice and mounts “intelligence-gathering operations”.