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| Russia to expel US diplomat accused of spying for CIA | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia has said it will expel a US diplomat accused of working as a spy after he was arrested while attempting to recruit a Russian agent for the CIA, in an elaborate raid that revealed the American was carrying a bizarre arsenal of suspected spyware. | Russia has said it will expel a US diplomat accused of working as a spy after he was arrested while attempting to recruit a Russian agent for the CIA, in an elaborate raid that revealed the American was carrying a bizarre arsenal of suspected spyware. |
| Ryan C Fogle, the third secretary at the US embassy in Moscow, was paraded in footage aired on state-run television after being detained late on Monday night by officers from the Federal Security Service (FSB), a successor to the Soviet-era KGB. | Ryan C Fogle, the third secretary at the US embassy in Moscow, was paraded in footage aired on state-run television after being detained late on Monday night by officers from the Federal Security Service (FSB), a successor to the Soviet-era KGB. |
| He stands accused of being a CIA spy and was declared persona non grata by the foreign ministry on Tuesday. | He stands accused of being a CIA spy and was declared persona non grata by the foreign ministry on Tuesday. |
| "A classic spy arsenal was discovered, as well as a large sum of money that doesn't just expose a foreign agent caught red-handed, but also raises serious questions for the American side," the ministry said in a statement. | "A classic spy arsenal was discovered, as well as a large sum of money that doesn't just expose a foreign agent caught red-handed, but also raises serious questions for the American side," the ministry said in a statement. |
| "Such provocative actions in the spirit of the cold war in no way help to strengthen mutual trust," it said. | "Such provocative actions in the spirit of the cold war in no way help to strengthen mutual trust," it said. |
| Fogle was said to be carrying two wigs, three pairs of glasses, a compass and map of Moscow, as well as a knife, lighter, stacks of 500-euro notes and his US embassy ID. | Fogle was said to be carrying two wigs, three pairs of glasses, a compass and map of Moscow, as well as a knife, lighter, stacks of 500-euro notes and his US embassy ID. |
| Russia Today, an English-language TV channel run by the Kremlin, also revealed the contents of an alleged letter addressed to the Russian recruit. | Russia Today, an English-language TV channel run by the Kremlin, also revealed the contents of an alleged letter addressed to the Russian recruit. |
| It begins: "Dear friend, This is a down-payment from someone who is very impressed with your professionalism and who would greatly appreciate your co-operation in the future." It goes on to offer $100,000 "to discuss your experience, expertise and co-operation" as well as $1m "for long-term co-operation". | It begins: "Dear friend, This is a down-payment from someone who is very impressed with your professionalism and who would greatly appreciate your co-operation in the future." It goes on to offer $100,000 "to discuss your experience, expertise and co-operation" as well as $1m "for long-term co-operation". |
| It then instructs the recruit on how to open a Gmail account, before signing off with "your friends". The letter, wigs, and immediate release of footage of the raid to state-run television like Russia Today elicited widespread confusion. | It then instructs the recruit on how to open a Gmail account, before signing off with "your friends". The letter, wigs, and immediate release of footage of the raid to state-run television like Russia Today elicited widespread confusion. |
| The spy scandal comes at an awkward time in US-Russia relations. On one hand, Russian president Vladimir Putin has repeatedly blamed the US for fomenting discontent with his government, with officials going so far as to accuse the state department of funding opposition protesters. On the other, Moscow and Washington have been seeking to strengthen co-operation between their security services in the wake of the attack on the Boston Marathon, suspected to have been carried out by two men with roots in Russia's troubled North Caucasus region. | The spy scandal comes at an awkward time in US-Russia relations. On one hand, Russian president Vladimir Putin has repeatedly blamed the US for fomenting discontent with his government, with officials going so far as to accuse the state department of funding opposition protesters. On the other, Moscow and Washington have been seeking to strengthen co-operation between their security services in the wake of the attack on the Boston Marathon, suspected to have been carried out by two men with roots in Russia's troubled North Caucasus region. |
| It also comes less than one week after John Kerry, the US secretary of state, visited Moscow in the hope of boosting co-operation to end the war in Syria. He was accompanied by Robert Mueller, director of the FBI, who held a rare meeting with his Russian counterpart. | It also comes less than one week after John Kerry, the US secretary of state, visited Moscow in the hope of boosting co-operation to end the war in Syria. He was accompanied by Robert Mueller, director of the FBI, who held a rare meeting with his Russian counterpart. |
| The US embassy declined to comment on the scandal. The foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador, Michael McFaul, on Wednesday. | The US embassy declined to comment on the scandal. The foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador, Michael McFaul, on Wednesday. |
| In the video released by the FSB, Fogle is shown being marched into a car by plain-clothed officers before arriving at an FSB questioning centre. In the company of three unidentified Americans, he is shown seated, stone-faced, at a table as a Russian official accuses him of attempting to recruit a Russian officer involved in the country's anti-terrorism efforts in the troubled North Caucasus region. | In the video released by the FSB, Fogle is shown being marched into a car by plain-clothed officers before arriving at an FSB questioning centre. In the company of three unidentified Americans, he is shown seated, stone-faced, at a table as a Russian official accuses him of attempting to recruit a Russian officer involved in the country's anti-terrorism efforts in the troubled North Caucasus region. |
| "At first, we didn't believe this could happen, because you very well know that lately the FSB has been actively helping the investigation of the Boston bombs," the official says. | "At first, we didn't believe this could happen, because you very well know that lately the FSB has been actively helping the investigation of the Boston bombs," the official says. |
| In a rare statement, the FSB said Fogle's alleged attempt to recruit a Russian agent was not a unique case. "Lately, American intelligence has made multiple attempts to recruit employees of Russian law enforcement organs and special agencies, which have been detected and monitored by FSB counter-intelligence," it said. | In a rare statement, the FSB said Fogle's alleged attempt to recruit a Russian agent was not a unique case. "Lately, American intelligence has made multiple attempts to recruit employees of Russian law enforcement organs and special agencies, which have been detected and monitored by FSB counter-intelligence," it said. |
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