Expelled spies included Russians suspected of tracking compatriots resettled in US
Among the dozens of Russian diplomats the US expelled last month were suspected spies who US law enforcement and intelligence officials believe were tracking Russian defectors and their families who had resettled in the US, officials briefed on the matter tell CNN.
In at least one instance, suspected Russian spies were believed to be casing someone who was part of a CIA program that provided new identities to protect resettled Russians, the officials said.
That episode and other US intelligence raised concerns that the Russians were preparing to target Russian émigrés in the US labeled by the Kremlin as traitors or enemies, law enforcement and intelligence officials said.
The CIA declined to comment. The White House declined to comment.
The Russian embassy did not respond to a request for comment.
The concerns have been heightened following the poisoning in the UK of a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, who is a Russian citizen. British and US officials have blamed Russian intelligence for the use of a nerve agent in the attempted poisoning.
The White House last month said it was expelling 60 Russians as a measure of solidarity with the UK over the Skripal poisoning case.
Officials in both the US and UK have warned that the Russian government appears emboldened to carry out assassinations in western Democracies.
Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee produced a report earlier this year raised the issue of the suspicious deaths of more than two dozen critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his time in power. The Russian security services are suspected in many of the deaths, the report said, noting a Russian law passed "in July 2006 that permits the assassination of 'enemies of the Russian regime' who live abroad."
"The trail of mysterious deaths, all of which happened to people who possessed information that the Kremlin did not want made public, should not be ignored by Western countries on the assumption that they are safe from these extreme measures," said the Senate Democrats in their report.
Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify Yulia Skripal's citizenship and to reflect that Skripal and her father were poisoned.
Tags
Who is online
280 visitors
The Russian security services are suspected in many of the deaths, the report said, noting a Russian law passed "in July 2006 that permits the assassination of 'enemies of the Russian regime' who live abroad."
A license to Kill? Interesting....what has the U.N. done about this? Possibly too busy feathering their nests to be bothered with a poisoning of a couple people?
What did you want them to do? Step in and tell Russia that all their laws must first pass approval through the UN? Is that really what you think the UN does??
How about a resolution condemning these attacks and the monitoring of ex-citizens. The U.N. does these things pretty routinely, for countries they don't like and/or don't mind tweaking periodically. I'm sure you've noted this in the past, I didn't think you were so dense as to miss these things.
May happen. Do you have actual evidence that Russia did it, or just supposition?
Me personally? No. I'm not in those loops at the CIA or those levels of government.
A question for you, are you being obtuse for a reason, or you don't know what that word means?
A question for you, are you being personally insulting for a reason or is that just the way you are?
My question is very pertinent. I have no doubt myself that Russia was behind the assassinations but without actual physical evidence, the UN will not make any decisions in regards to condemning Russia. It is the same as charging someone with a crime, everyone knew OJ did it, but they were unable to prove it with physical evidence.
No, the difference is that OJ was arrested and tried.
Eventually he was, and eventually there will be a finding and determination on the assassinations. Your point is meaningless.
What do you mean eventually?
OJ was arrested within 8 days of the murders.
The prime suspects aren't even in the same country anymore, and if you think Russia will extradite someone, you're crazy.
The murders will go unpunished.
But I do agree with you that the UN has nothing to do with it.
Rarely has such a huge congregation of people accomplished less with more than the UN as a whole.
The UN is ineffectual in situations such as these.
You keep proposing silly questions, so, no, they aren't 'pertinent'. If you were to actually discuss things, instead of walking around throwing darts, I might be more interested in what you have to say.
You expect the UN to step in and take some type of action before they are offered any definitive proof that Russia committed the crime? Are you serious???
That doesn't even address that Russia has the power to veto any UN resolution.
Apparently you are refusing to actually read what you are commenting about, we're talking about his trial and the results of the trial.
yes, OJ was TRIED in a court of law. No one will ever be tried in Great Britain for those murders, as the people most likely responsible have been expelled and will never return to England.
Wow, you just refuse to accept the truth, don't you?
So you think that Great Britain has now dropped the investigation because "the people most likely responsible have been expelled and will never return to England"????
No, I believe England will continue the investigation.
But when your prime suspects have left the country, I don't think there is any chance Russian will extradite them. Do you believe Russia will extradite the suspect if England asks nicely?
Please don't tell me what I believe. You don't know me that well.
I wish that they hadn't been expelled before the investigation was completed. I am afraid they will get away with it. Which, it seems, they have.
Evidence to this please?
Stop with the circular logic. Your question has been answered already.
You read where Great Britain expelled them, right? Right?
And we expelled 60 in support of Great Britain's assertions (By we, I mean the United States, led by President Trump).
They expelled the suspect to the murder? Really?
Or are you trying to deflect by saying that they expelled 60 Russian diplomats, not any suspects for the actual crime?
Bullshit! It has been dodged and avoided but not answered.
They usually are.
60 Russians, and they weren't all diplomats.
See? Once again you contort your way around to avoid answering the question....
My take is that the UN is afraid to take any negative position against Russia in fear of the US President initiating vendictive policies against the UN. Everyone is quite aware that this Administration if very very very pro Russian.
THAT'S your take?
LMFAO!
I'm so completely bummed that you were the only one to respond. I thought I'd definitely get more takers! :0(
Maybe Gary was busy today. He generally gives me shite on my posts.
I aim to disappoint!
I'm not disappointed. I enjoy the banter.
Sorry, I was out doing that thing I like to call 'real life'. Surprisingly, I don't spend all my time on a computer or on a website. It was nice out yesterday and was able to ge tthe Motorcycle out and went for a ride.......
A surprisingly naive take, PJ. What has President Trump done to make you think that? Bombing in Syria after Russia warned him not to? Kicking out 60 'diplomats' in support of Great Britain's findings of Russians poisoning of people on Great Britain's soil?
You must think that Putin set this all up and told President Trump to do these things. maybe ot get the suspicion off the President? Really? Does that seem even remotely realistic to you? I can't live in your world of conspiracy theories.
Please show me when the U.N. has been afraid to anger the United States? I'd love to see some examples of this mythical theory of yours.
I guess that is why sanctions were placed on the Russians and why a Russian ally was bombed twice and why Russian diplomats were expelled from the country. Yep that is sure a good way to show favor. /s
Hey, that is almost like the Muslim "ban" that didn't include some 90% of the world's Muslims!
AND didn't include any countries that had actually exported terrorists to us? Why did Trump want to ban those countries again?
because the countries on the list are in a state of war and we have very suspect means of vetting the people who are trying to come here from there?
Do you feel the info from Syria about any of its citizens is trustworthy?
you might want to ask Obama that. They are the same countries that Obama was concerned about.
2 problems with your "claim".
Do you believe that a Muslim ban would include all Muslims?
If it doesn't, it isn't a Muslim ban.
It is, if it is what the guy who creates the ban says it is for.
But the supposed Muslim ban DOES NOT ban Muslims--plain and simple.
Correct, because Trump can't do anything right, especially nothing he has been promising.
So you are basically bitching about NOTHING?
Par for the course!
No, sanctions were partially placed, but only after Trump delayed them for months. Not to mention the additional sanctions for assassinating former agents in the UK, which Trump backpedaled on and refused to put into action.
Russian ally bombed twice???
You mean the Russian ally that was warned about the bombing ahead of time?
The bombing that missed every single strategic target, causing only minor damage, and only delayed reopening the area for a few hours?
What Trump did I'd Syria is a hell of a lot more than Obama did. Obama turned tail and said he didn't really mean there was a line drawn. The first bomb8ng was a shot across the bows. The second was effective and the targets destroyed.
You might want to go get a refresher .Sanctions were implaced shortly after the Brit's accused the Russians and sanctioned them. There also were Russian "diplomats"expelled from the country and Russian offices closed.
And most of them have been allowed to return. Or did you forget which article you are commenting in?
I just reread the article. Where does it say anyone was let back in.
You mean the bombings that Putin publicly told President Trump not to do? The ones he did anyway?
In the magic part of the newspaper only he can read.