Russian spies are the style again. Especially when one of the spies arrested by the FBI Monday is Anna Chapman. Federal prosecutors accused 11 people of being part of a Russian spy ring that was living within the U.S. under deep cover for 10 years. The moles assumed roles ranging from mild-mannered suburban couples, stylish young professionals and Anna Chapman, as outlined by The New York Post as "a 28-year-old divorcee with a masters in economics, an online real-estate business, a fancy financial district apartment and a Victoria's Secret body."
Source of article: Anna Chapman among Russian spies arrested in FBI sting by Personal Money Store
To get Russian spies, FBI springs a trap
The alleged Russian spies were arrested after an FBI investigation that started at least seven years ago. According to The New York Times, authorities said the Russian spy ring was part of the "Illegals Program," a long-term operation hatched by the SVR, the successor to the Soviet KGB, to plant Russian spies within the U.S. to get information and recruit a lot more agents. The alleged secret agents were charged with conspiracy — not to commit espionage, but to fail to register as agents of a foreign government. It was not clear what secrets Russian beauty Anna Chapman actually managed to steal.
All of the Russian spies are going Hollywood
Prosecutors said the Russian spies within the Illegals Program were trying to get intelligence on the Obama administration’s foreign policy, particularly toward Russia. I was reported by the Associated Press the FBI intercepted a message from KGB successor SVR’s headquarters to two of the 10 suspects describing their mission as “to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US.” Papers submitted in federal court claim some of the Russian spy ring’s members lived married, used invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data, and employed Hollywood methods such as swapping bags in passing encounters at a train station. As outlined by the Guardian, “Russia’s foreign ministry dismissed the allegations as groundless and unseemly.”
Could this be a Medvedev/Obama BFF sabotage?
The suspected Russian spies were arrested just 3 days after Russian president Dmitry Medvedev left the U.S. after a friendly visit with President Obama in Washington. Sergei Lavrov hinted that the arrests may be part of an internal U.S. plot to sabotage the Medvedev/Obama friendship and U.S.-Russian relations. Moscow is going to have to respond somehow. But none of the intended Russian spies were diplomats– making a classic tit-for-tat expulsion unlikely. Some expect Russia to announce that it has uncovered a spy ring of its own.
Anna Chapman blew her cover
As the FBI noose tightened around the suspected Russian spies, it was reported by the New York Daily News that Anna Chapman realized her cover had been blown. Chapman went to a Brooklyn Verizon store and bought a cell phone under the name, "Irine Kustov of 99 Fake Street." The investigators realized their cover was blown also. They started to round up the suspected Russian spies. Chapman and other spies were in court Monday. They could face up to five years in prison if convicted of acting as unregistered foreign agents.
Discover more info:
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/06/29/world/europe/29spy.html
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_Fmz__pKb-YmXtA5fSYdbz6ptRAD9GL0GGO0
The Guardian
guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/29/russian-spy-ring-claims-bilateral-ties
New York Daily News
nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/06/29/2010-06-29_untitled__2spies29m.html
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