Posted on 06/29/2010 2:53:46 PM PDT by Bad~Rodeo
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he hopes a series of arrests over an alleged spy ring in the US will not harm US-Russian relations.
Mr Putin told former US President Bill Clinton in Moscow that US police had "let themselves go" and were putting people in prison.
The FBI claims the spy ring had been operating for more than a decade
Ten people have been arrested in the US and one in Cyprus after an FBI inquiry.
The Russian foreign ministry has said the US allegations are baseless and a throwback to the Cold War.
The 10 people arrested in the US are accused of conspiracy to act as unlawful agents of a foreign government, a crime which carries up to five years in prison.
Eight also face a charge of conspiracy to launder money.
An 11th suspect, named as Christopher R Metsos, was arrested on Tuesday on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, police there said.
They said he was arrested at Larnaca airport as he tried to leave for Budapest and was released on bail pending US extradition proceedings. He is wanted in the US on suspicion of espionage and money laundering, police said.
Mr Putin briefly mentioned the case at his country residence where he met Mr Clinton, who was in Moscow to speak at an investment conference.
Michalis Katsounotos, of the Cypriot police, confirms arrest of Canadian citizen "Your police have let themselves go. They are putting people to prison," he said.
"We hope that positive things
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
“The FBI claims the spy ring had been operating for more than a decade”
To FBI: THAT is not something to be proud of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh sure, Pootie Poot.
It was all just a big misunderstanding, right?
Sounds like a little Russian mob laundering.
And you think we don’t have spies in Russia and every other country??
But, but, but I thought we were pure as the driven snow...
Can we somehow make the russians think that clinton is in moscow to spy so they’ll arrest him?
“And you think we don’t have spies in Russia and every other country??”
Ssshhhhhhh. Of course we don’t. (wink)
After eight hours of forcing them to listen to Leonid Breshnev speeches and balalaika music, they’ll talk.
Russia says that arrested are not spies, but, while they are the US citizens, Russia still demands an access to them by Russian officials. If it were a bogus operation, Russia would say we don’t know any of those people...
what chutzpah
Bill Clinton “just happens” to be in Russia when all this goes down, and this “just happens” to go down right after President Flustercluck met with Pootie Poot’s pet Medyeyev [sp?]?
Just fascinatin’...
There. Fixed it.
bump
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