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Belarus Reports U.S. Spying on TV
The Belarusian Channel One television station reported on last Friday's news broadcast that the country's KGB has uncovered a ring of about ten Belarusian citizens spying for the United States. Their names have not been released, nor has the nature of the information they allegedly provided to the U.S. FBI been reported. Uncharacteristically, the Belarusian KGB is providing only a minimum of information about the case. The U.S. Embassy in Minsk is remaining tight-lipped as well. Observers suggest that the extensive attention to the case on television is an attempt to avenge U.S. sanctions against Belneftekhim.
Channel One reported that the spies were well equipped with cameras, binoculars, video cameras and telephones. They reported to an FBI agent working in the U.S. embassy under diplomatic cover, whose identity was also not disclosed. The operatives were forbidden to visit the embassy or have any contact with embassy personnel other than their manager. An apartment was rented half a kilometer from the embassy for meetings with him. The entire ring was uncovered at one time on March 13 in that apartment during a “check of documents.”
Last summer, during heightened tensions between Belarus and the European Union, the Belarus KGB uncovered a network of spies working of Poland. Four former Belarusian military personnel and one Russian citizen were arrested on accusation of providing information about Belarusian and Russian air defense. At that time, the case was reported on the air by deputy head of the KGB Gen. Maj. Viktor Vegera and the accused were also shown to the public. It was later revealed that the suspects had been taken into custody in January of that year.
Tensions between Minsk and Washington shot up at the beginning of this month, after The U.S. announced new sanctions against the state Belneftekhim company, which had already been under restriction since last autumn. All Belarusian oil and petroleum product companies in which the state own a share of 50 percent or more are subject to sanction. Before the latest crackdown, only the companies' overseas subsidiaries were subject to sanction. Minsk recalled its ambassador from the U.S. in protest of that measure. Later, the U.S. ambassador was recalled from Minsk for consultations and the U.S. agreed to a Belarusian demand that the staff of the Minsk embassy be reduced to the same size as the staff of the Belarusian embassy in Washington.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 25, 2008
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