Spies Like Us

IBD Editorials ^ | June 29, 2010 | Investors Business Daily staff

[Kaslin]

Intelligence: The Justice Department's surprise roundup of 11 Russian "illegals" acting as unregistered foreign agents is being dismissed as irrelevant to the Obama administration's "reset button" with Russia. We doubt it.

Late Monday, the FBI shut down a major ring of Russian "illegals," a term used to describe agents who burrow deep in American society, blend in with the locals over years, perform spylike tasks and otherwise await orders from Moscow.

"You were sent to USA for long-term service trip. Your education, bank accounts, car, house, etc. — all these serve one goal: fulfill your main mission, i.e., to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in U.S. and sent intels (intelligence reports) to C(enter)," reads a choppy computer message decoded by the FBI from Moscow's SVR spy agency to two of the now-busted illegals.

Using more rarefied tools than, say, al-Qaida does, the Russians used private Wi-Fi connections, elaborate brush passes at train stations, foreign meetings and dead drops, all tools of the Cold War, used in earnest back when things were dangerous.

One could almost marvel at the contrast between the elaborate tradecraft and the low value of the actual intelligence produced in the openness of U.S. society in the era of Google.

One could laugh at the venality of the illegals, pestering their Russian intelligence masters to help them pay their back taxes or buy them houses so they could blend in better with Americans.

[advance_copy]

Good job G-Men! I’m glad the FBI rolled up the ruskie spies.

[ronnie raygun]

Diversionary tactics once again. Get yourself in this mode, nothing coming from these criminals is legit. If the Russians wanted some intelligence zero would give it to them remember they run a transparent regime ya know!

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Radio talk show host John Batchelor has been pooh-poohing these arrests. His ignorance of Soviet sleeper agents/policies is shocking.

This is not the first time that this highly educated man has screwed up. He, like Bill O’Reilly, has some deliberate blind spots in his world view and knowledge, and both refuse to look at alternative views and documentation.

Sad!

[Citizen Tom Paine]

Dear Freeper. The United States is spied upon by many nations both friend and foe even as you read this. Our friends want to know what we are going to do (assuming someone knows) and our military secrets, and the enemy wants to know our capabilities, intentions toward them, and our secrets. Recall that Israel exchanged stolen US military information and secret satellite technical specifications with the Soviet Union so the Soviet Union would act in a manner which favored Israel.

Particularly insidious spies are those that were planted decades ago and now have insinuated themselves into our companies and government agencies. They now have trusted positions.

[nikos1121]

I’m at a lost to figure how these people were considered spies.

FOr example, FBI agents “lured” them into thinking that that they (the FBI) were actual Russian agents.

I mean, if these people were spies, wouldn’t they know if the FBI agent was a true Russian agent? Wouldn’t they confirm this with their true Russian contacts?

Very confusing.

[Cindy]

Background Link with ongoing updates:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2543199/posts

[advance_copy]

FBI agents “lured” them into thinking that that they (the FBI) were actual Russian agents. I mean, if these people were spies, wouldn’t they know if the FBI agent was a true Russian agent? Wouldn’t they confirm this with their true Russian contacts?

This aspect of the story must be particularly disconcerting to the Kremlin. It signifies a deep level of infiltration by the FBI. This represents the fantastic job done by our agents.

Let every intel agency around the world, whether they mean us good or ill, know that Americans engaged in counter-intelligence are top of the line. And we Americans should be grateful to those of our countrymen who are doing the hard work of protecting our interests even if the occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are not.

[japaneseghost]

Very good point. That’s probably why they weren’t charged with espionage, they were only charged with lobbying for a foreign country and not disclosing that to the US govt.

[nikos1121]

I was watching Ken Burn’s Civil War again tonight. Made me again realize what a pure stranger we have in the WH.

This guy was not educated here as a young boy.

He didn’t go to Kindergarten and the early grades here. He didn’t play little league....chase girls....

He didn’t have teachers who taught him about our constitution, our early founding fathers...

I don’t relate therefore to what this man says...

Any wonder that this virtual “nerd” is lapping up the perks of being president. He’s more concerned about his addiction to golf than us.

Nov 2012 can’t come fast enough...

[cunning_fish]

>I’m at a lost to figure how these people were considered spies.

FOr example, FBI agents “lured” them into thinking that that they (the FBI) were actual Russian agents.

I mean, if these people were spies, wouldn’t they know if the FBI agent was a true Russian agent? Wouldn’t they confirm this with their true Russian contacts?

Very confusing.>
I think that way too, yet. Considering a published info on their activities and their charges it seems like the feds to have a hard time to prove it at court.
IMO, these suspects are just an illegals who bought their fake identities to avoid proper naturalisation process. They possibly had some contacts with Russian officials which hadn’t involved passing any critical information. From that is published they are not seems to be a professional spies. On that same basis Russians may detain thousands of US NGO employees working there.
I think an ‘attemted illegal conspiracy with foreign agent’ has only involved their contact with FBI operative posed as an KGB agent.

In fact I have no idea on what it really is. Just an analisys of an official reports.