Cold War goes on for Russia's spies in Germany

Scotsman ^ | 1 May 2005 | MURDO MACLEOD

[Tailgunner Joe]

TO THE rest of the world they seem the perfect couple. After years of bickering between their two countries, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Russian President Vladimir Putin have stood shoulder to shoulder on a host of issues, including opposing the US-led invasion of Iraq.

But behind the outwardly chummy relations between the two countries, it has been business as usual for Russian agents, who have continued to spy on their former Cold War foes.

The spying has reached such epidemic proportions that German intelligence officers say the best way to find out what German MPs are talking about on their mobile phones is to ask the Russians.

Wolbert Smidt, a former German intelligence officer, told the magazine Der Spiegel that Russian spying in the country is proceeding "on a very massive scale. Little has changed in that respect."

There are believed to be about 130 full-time Russian spies operating in the country - the same number as during the height of East-West tensions.

But the Germans have had to bite their tongues over the spying, as they regard Russia as a vital market and strategic ally, and want Moscow’s backing for Berlin’s ambitions to gain a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

In addition, the looming 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War has made the Germans reluctant to criticise Moscow.

Russia’s growing market is regarded as a key to kick-starting Germany’s sluggish economy. Earlier this month, Moscow signed a deal for fast new German bullet-trains to run on the creaking Russian railways.

And Schröder regards himself as being close to Putin, a fluent German speaker. What is glossed over is the fact that Putin speaks such perfect German because of the time he spent working in Dresden for the KGB during the Cold War.

[RippleFire]

Er, why? What info do the Germans have that the Russians want?

[Wiz]

ping!

[GarySpFc]

I see the WalMart Warrior (Tailgunner Joe) is faithfully sitting in front of his computer wearing his pajama cammies fighting the Cold War against the evil Russians tonight. Joe has never fought anybody, but has taken up the where the great Joe McCarthy left off, and is showing everybody how to win a war.

[AdmSmith]

Thanks and here is the article from Der Spiegel:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,352649,00.html

From Russia with Love

By Holger Stark

For years, a Russian consul spied on the German army. Officials got wind of it and tried to turn him into a Russian defector. As the situation began to blow up in their faces, German officials hustled to end the matter discreetly so as not to endanger the current German-Russian love affair.


The small baroque town of Amorbach in the Odenwald, south of Frankfurt, offered a perfect backdrop for the unique showdown last November. Just like in the good-old-days of the Cold War, German special agents tiptoed about the ruins of a medieval Benedictine convent and followed a nondescript man in his mid-forties who was obviously waiting for someone at a restaurant in this 4,220-person town.

Under the agents' scrutiny, a member of the German army entered the restaurant. He was carrying classified documents with him that contained information about telecommunications and arms technology. As so often occurred in the past, the secret documents quietly changed hands. The man receiving them spoke German with a thick Russian accent and paid a hefty sum. His pockets full and the transaction completed, the the army officer got up and left the restaurant. The other man was left to pay the bill. As soon as he did, he was captured by the waiting German agents. When they arrested him, the agents discovered that the criminal turned out to be a Russian diplomat.

The operation has since turned into myth -- one of the most dramatic espionage scandal since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It has all the components of a juicy spy thriller: treason, a chase and a diplomatic scandal. In fact, it even forced the man -- 45-year-old Russian Consul Alexander Kuzmin, to return to Russia early. The truth is that Kuzmin had been working for the notorious Muscovite military secret service GRU. His mission: to spy on the German military.

The case illustrates how keenly, 15 years after the collapse of the Iron Curtain, Russian agents are to search for and obtain classified information. In fact, President Vladimir Putin - himself a former KGB agent - and his secret service seem to be creating their very own translation of "Glasnost." For them, it has come to mean the chance to spy on both friends and enemies.

Bosom buddies

The affair has erupted at the worst possible time. Officially, German-Russian relations "have never been better," says Gernot Erler, of the ruling Social Democratic Party. Lately, Schroeder and Putin have put on quite a buddy show and are often photographed joking and laughing together. At the beginning of last week, the two paled around until 1 a.m. at the Hanover Trade Fair for Industrial Goods. Over souffléd turbot, Schroeder toasted the amicable atmosphere and hailed the newly signed economic contracts between the nations - including one to build a Baltic Sea gas pipeline - as contracts "of historic dimension." For Putin, he had nothing but praise.

For his part, Putin is proving quite an unpredictable international operator. In his years at the KGB, he spent time stationed in the German city of Dresden and knows something about German culture. Lately, he has shown that economic investments are not his only goals. He's also after inside information. The Kremlin, for instance, is eager to uncover the inside German view on the Chechnya question, as well as to scrounge up hidden details about NATO. Germany's Office for the Protection of the Constitution is well aware of this Russian penchant and recently warned that Putin currently has about 130 agents spying on Germany. That's almost as many as in the heyday of the Cold War.

"If you want to know what the members of the German parliament are talking about over their mobiles, just ask the Russians," a German defense agent said sarcastically. In some cases, the Russians make no secret of their activities. The roof of the Russian embassy -- centrally located on Berlin's main street, Unter den Linden -- has special antennas affixed to its roof. Such technical wizardry and boldness continues to astonish German security agencies. In particular, Russia's military intelligence agency, known as the GRU, is working on "a massive scale," said Wolbert Schmid, who works for German intelligence (BND) and who for years headed the German spy program against Russia. "Little has changed," he said, from the days of détente.

When Kuzmin was sent to the Russian consulate general in Hamburg at the end of summer 2000, he simply took over the top spying post from his predecessor. The consulate is a small branch of the more powerful Berlin embassy and is situated on the city's idyllic Alster lake. Kuzmin arrived from Moscow with his wife Fljusa, but without his adult daughter, and was soon promoted to consul. Quiet, out-of-the-way Hamburg seemed a perfect place from which to receive and channel information from high-ranking sources within the German armed forces.

Spying on the spies


Kuzmin met his restaurant source around 20 times before he was nabbed and always arranged meetings in small pubs or restaurants in remote towns in southern Germany. The Russian was trying to get information on German weapons systems, secret codes of the armed forces and any salient details he could find out about the troops. The German had only one interest: money.

The military security service of the German army (MAD) estimates that about Euro 10,000 passed in this way from Russian to German hands. Sometimes sources provided documents. Other times, information passed via computer disks. As the head agent, Kuzmin was responsible for his transactions and had to keep careful records of how his money was spent. As such, he asked for receipts each time money changed hands. With stereotypical German meticulousness, he noted down the name of his tipster, along with the date of the transaction and the amount traded for the information.

What Kuzmin did not know about his restaurant source, however, was that the man had early on told MAD what was going on. MAD then used him as a "counterman," a double-agent who pretended to sell to the Russian, while actually telling the Germans everything that happened at each meeting.

Last summer, MAD began an operation unusual even in the murky world of spies. If they could convince Kuzmin to himself become a double agent, they would accomplish an unprecedented espionage coup. To date, no Western secret service agent has ever successfully infiltrated the GRU. No one really knows how many agents work for the intelligence agency, but the best estimate is about 12,000. Turning Kuzmin would also be a late retaliation for the loss of German defector Hansjoachim Tiedge in 1985. Tiedge worked for the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Cologne when he was successfully recruited by the East German secret police, known as the Stasi.

As such, the Kuzmin case presented a rare chance to realize a long-sought dream.

Putting the plan into effect

To test the waters, last June, German agents discretely handed Kuzmin a slip of paper with a Cologne phone number and asked him to give a call. In the coded language of spies, this is an unmistakable message. His cover had been blown.

Kuzmin took the paper, but never called. Was he too scared?

The Germans decided to try another tactic. On a cold grey Friday in mid-June, a team of CIA agents and MAD members caught up with the diplomat on the banks of the Alster. They wanted to win him over straight away and tried to reason with him. To no avail.

The Germans then gave the consul time to think over their proposition and allowed him to return to Moscow for his annual vacation. When he returned, they reasoned, they would turn the screws tighter.

Espionage is a dirty business. Money and blackmail are standard operating tools, not only in Russia. Counterespionage works the same way and Germany is no exception.

MAD agents found out that the consul was having an affair and that his wife Fljusa knew nothing about the liaison. They had also heard rumors that the consul had occasionally forged passports, allegedly in exchange for several tens of thousands of euros in bribes.

The consul, it seemed, was an ideal candidate for blackmail. This time around, the German agents approached his wife. It was their third and last attempt to turn him.

When Kuzmin still failed to react, MAD and CIA agents, as well as officials from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, blew his cover by catching him in Amorbach. They allowed their own double agent -- the man he was meeting -- to slip away. They then gave Kuzman his final choice: cooperation or confrontation, treason or refusal.

One can only speculate why the diplomat -- who clearly had a penchant for intrigue -- refused to cooperate. Perhaps it was fear: The punishment for treason in Russia is years locked away in a prison camp.

That left the German intelligence officials and politicians in an awkward position -- a bit like one feels when one catches a good friend stealing. They were left wondering what they should do. Putin was, after all, their chancellor's close friend.

What do you do when your friends spy on you?

"The chancellor knows about the unpleasant tradition of espionage but tries not to be affected by it," the SPD-member and Russia expert Erler said. Still, it was more than just Schroeder's relationship with Putin that had both sides scrambling for a swift solution. The BND, Germany's foreign intelligence agency, too, is no stranger to spy games and carry on the same sort of operations in Russia. They could hardly take the moral high ground with the Russians.

When all hopes of acquiring a high-ranking defector to their side were shattered, Heinz Fromm, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, hopped on the next plane to Moscow.

Fromm, who heads the counter-espionage division, made an appointment for general talks with the civil foreign intelligence agency, known as SWR. He wanted to give the impression he was on a routine visit. Politely, but nevertheless with verve, Fromm told SWR head Sergei Lebedev, who has close ties with Germany, about the Kuzmin case. Lebedev, a fluent German speaker, promised to do what he could to resolve the matter.

That was on December, 3rd 2004.

Two days later, the Kremlin called its dynamic diplomat back to Moscow. This time, for good.

[Atlantic Bridge]

The biggest problem with spying in Germany has the German industry. As a German I do not care that much about millitary spying, since there is nobody to threaten my country seriously in the moment from the outside. If the Russians want to waste their time with the duty rosters of the Bundeswehr, they are welcome. ;-)

BTW - not only Russians are spying here... Chinese spys, Indian spys, Iranians, Israelis, French and even American spys are earning their bread in Germany. Nearly all Germans were looking forward to the final close-down of the US-Echolon-Station in Bad Aibling for instance, since everybody knew, that it was just for controlling our telephone net on our own soil for American industrial causes. This statement has nothing to do with anti-americanism, but with our own well known self-interest. OK - we lost the war, but such plump spying from declared friends and allies was just insulting...

It doesn't matter anyway, because your newer and better Echolon-station in the UK ist good enough to get more information from the old continent than the technically older one in Germany.

Greetings from the Lake Constance!

Andreas

[Red6]

The Germans just threw a Russian and Chinese spy out of their country 3 or so weeks ago.

Red6

[Red6]

"But the Germans have had to bite their tongues over the spying, " The article said.

Funny,

Our "Uebermenchen" also made themselves dependent on Russian natural gas that is piped into their country and used for power generation.

Oh- little do the Germans know how bad their government has Fu**** them.

Red6

[AdmSmith]

The Germans just threw a Russian and Chinese spy out of their country 3 or so weeks ago.

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=52&story_id=19193&name=BfV+intelligence+agency+unmasks+foreign+'spies'


BfV intelligence agency unmasks foreign 'spies'

18 April 2005

HAMBURG - The German BfV domestic intelligence agency has in recent months uncovered a Chinese and a Russian spy who were collecting military secrets, according to magazine reports on Saturday.

The Munich-based magazine Focus said the agency had discovered that a Chinese intelligence agent, posing as a diplomat, had been obtaining sensitive information from a former employee of the Dynamit Nobel defence company.

The former arms employee, identified as 60-year-old Hans I. from near Bonn, was offering military documents on new-style ammunition, the magazine said.

The leak was discovered after the BfV bugged the Bonn annex of the Chinese embassy.

Quoting Berlin security sources, Focus said the German man was observed handing over documents to the Chinese intelligence officer on 1 April and was arrested a week later. It said he had admitted part of the allegations.

Focus said Germany was seeking removal of the Chinese official. It said officials feared that an expulsion, as well as the revelation of the bugging, might perturb German-Chinese relations.

[GarySpFc]

BTW - not only Russians are spying here... Chinese spys, Indian spys, Iranians, Israelis, French and even American spys are earning their bread in Germany. Nearly all Germans were looking forward to the final close-down of the US-Echolon-Station in Bad Aibling for instance, since everybody knew, that it was just for controlling our telephone net on our own soil for American industrial causes.

Sorry Andreas, I hate to burst your bubble, but I can tell you for a fact the American government does not do any industrial spying.

[dakine]

hahahaha....

[Red6]

It's pointless.

Any "schneeball/snowball" as the parabolic dish covers are called are immediately secret NSA spying stations in Germany according to them.

They are a bunch of idiots. I have become convinced of this in the last three years while stationed here.

Red6

[Red6]

Here's another funny one.

The French get caught wiring up conference rooms in Strasbourg or somewhere and then when they get caught it's blamed on the US. Conveniently the issue of the Spying at the EU conference subsided real quick. That happened about 1 year ago, after they blamed the US a small correction was once later put out in a press statement and the issue was completely off the radar screen with no reference to it anymore.

These guys are a "clown show".

Red6

[durasell]

I want a pair of cammo pajamas, but I fear what the pattern may resemble.

[AdmSmith]

Andreas, furthermore, Bad Aibling was transferred to the BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst) and I do not think that Lt. Col. Gerhardt Weber the German Air Force Liaison officer to the U.S. Air Force would agree with your comment.

[AdmSmith]

Andreas, ping to http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1394484/posts?page=15#15

[AdmSmith]

Maybe, you as well remember the wiretapping of the chairs in Air France (but just for 1:st class passengers)

[Red6]

The US is fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are in Columbia, Rep. Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, S. Korea, Peru, Bolivia, Philippines, Sinai, Kosovo, Bosnia and elsewhere. Our whole purpose in life in the US-the most important thing we need to do is spy on the Germans and their great "High Tech" industry.

I hear Intel, TI, Raytheon are dying to get a hold of all those German WWII "Wunderwaffen".

But wait! We already have AIM9X and they are building something like it (IRIS-T). We have stealth, AMRAAM-D (which their METEOR eventually if they figure it out will be like), PAC3 Patriot, SM3, FBCB2 (Which their Herkules is very similar too but still does not work), we have a countermeasure suite and have a second gen coming out (They have NOTHING and the cooperation with Russia "Arena" has failed)......... Sure- We need all those super high tech German super minds with their big foreheads to give us their technology and share their intellect.

Here’s something this little genius didn’t know. Years ago we used to train German intel guys and let them into the facilities at Bad-Aibling.

When did the whole Echelon issue come up is also a very interesting point to check up. It all started about 2001 when a big wig EU official from Portugal (Name with held) tried to bully himself access to a US facility and was told “NO”. After that they were on a war path. Goal? Bully yourself access into something you did not help pay to build nor have been cleared access too. With enough political pressure you can make a lot of things happen. Since then, hundreds of insinuations, little comments, have been flying around. Never is their proof. Never does anything hold up when further investigated.

Fact is; the British, Canada, New Zealand, Australia all have complete access to the NSA. They helped pay for it, they help manage and man it. Some were offered to be part but said “NO”, now years later some want to “strong arm” themselves access. Screw them jokers. Those nations who did not pay should not have access! In the end, they will still get intel from this system as we all share information within various bodies, but those nations have no “right” to access. They are given what is deemed necessary.

The French run a similar system, but where is the criticism by these Euroweenies? In fact, France where industry and government are joined and near indistinguishable it becomes very easy, likely and beneficial to use the state intelligence services to work in benefit of the state run turbine manufacturer. But that’s going into a whole new realm.

Red6

[Red6]

:)

I do remember.

I also know about a French Mirage going off of the yellow line while taxing and getting close to the rear of F16s taking pictures of towed decoys on the back of them. (also something the Germans are WAY behind in- but maybe we steal all this from them with the NSA???)

Sniffer pods which read our ECM signitures have been identified.......... (Maybe they just want to figure out if we stole how to jam certain radars from them?) :)

Red6

[Grzegorz 246]

What's your problem ? You really don't have to read it.