How are States and Criminal Organizations Alike?

Without prejudice to the outcome of the investigations that will be conducted, I would be prepared to wager a substantial bet that Mr. Litvenenko was eliminated either by a certain state through its agents or by a nefarious criminal organization. It has now been confirmed that Mr. Litvenenko was poisoned by the extremely toxic Pollonium 210 isotope. It is highly unlikely that such a lethal and highly toxic element would be in the safe possession of any individual or group bereft of a high degree of organization and planning capability. Secondly, given the acceptance that the administration of this toxic agent required careful handling and storage, the individual who ultimately administered it must have been prepared to take great risks on behalf of the organization to ensure the elimination of the victim.

Bearing in mind that organized criminal groups do routinely eliminate victims through poisoning, I do not think that many of these would have the ability to procure, store, transport and place an agent to administer Pollonium 210 to the chosen victim. Certain nations and governments though have not only the capacity for all four, but are also known to have particular contempt for civil treatment of critics living outside the jurisdiction of those countries. States have behaved in a manner akin to organized criminal groups before but in the poisoning with Pollonium 210, one of them is the principal suspect.