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British embassy spy snared by Berlin sting, court hears
bbc.com ^ | February 14, 2023 | bbc

Posted on 02/14/2023 1:01:18 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper

A Russian spy at the British embassy in Berlin was caught by a sting operation, the OId Bailey has heard.

Briton David Ballantyne Smith, 58, was working as a security guard when he passed secret information to Russian authorities.

The court heard how two fake Russian operatives working undercover helped lead to his arrest in August 2021.

Prosecutors claim Smith held strong anti-UK views and was paid for information.

... Items seized from his flat included travel documents and sheets of blank embassy headed paper.

Photographs taken at that address showed a Russian Federation flag, a Soviet military hat, a Communist toy Lada car and a Russian cuddly toy Rottweiler dog wearing a military hat.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Russia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: 202108; ballantynesmith; davidballantynesmith; davidsmith; russianspy; spies; spooks

1 posted on 02/14/2023 1:01:18 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

“... a Communist toy Lada car and a Russian cuddly toy Rottweiler dog wearing a military hat.”

I miss John Le Carre, but even he couldn’t make up details like this.


2 posted on 02/14/2023 1:11:41 PM PST by irishjuggler
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To: irishjuggler
Hahahahaha...I was looking at that same sentence and trying to think of something saucy to say, but...I like your post...:)

Eh. In this country, we actually have some secrets to guard, and we allow our "top people" guarding our interests to actually have love affairs with known Communist spies.

Why would I think the Germans would even care anymore.

3 posted on 02/14/2023 1:16:44 PM PST by rlmorel ("If you think tough men are dangerous, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of." JBP)
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To: irishjuggler

Surprised it didn’t have little miniature Putin KGB thug figures in the Lada.

I wonder if the toy Lada was black.


4 posted on 02/14/2023 1:18:22 PM PST by rlmorel ("If you think tough men are dangerous, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of." JBP)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

That some cache right there...

“. Items seized from his flat included travel documents and sheets of blank embassy headed paper.

Photographs taken at that address showed a Russian Federation flag, a Soviet military hat, a Communist toy Lada car and a Russian cuddly toy Rottweiler dog wearing a military hat.”


5 posted on 02/14/2023 1:49:16 PM PST by 2banana (Common ground with islamic terrorists-they want to die for allah and we want to arrange the meeting)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Eh. Britain has been rife with spies since before WW2. They love them some commies.


6 posted on 02/14/2023 2:04:14 PM PST by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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“Well, he’s a friend of them long haired, hippy-type, pinko fags!
I betchya he’s even got a commie flag
tacked up on the wall inside of his garage.”

“He’s a snake in the grass, I tell ya guys.
He may look dumb but that’s just a disguise,
He’s a mastermind in the ways of espionage”


7 posted on 02/14/2023 2:19:18 PM PST by rxh4n1
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To: Seruzawa

Its the universities.

Tenured wine drinking communist professors.

Their students learn how to be useless sublime idiots.


8 posted on 02/14/2023 3:05:12 PM PST by ckilmer (q)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Prosecutors claim Smith held strong anti-UK views

The horror, the horror.


9 posted on 02/14/2023 3:07:07 PM PST by robowombat ( )
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I will miss all those posts from Jon Preston…..


10 posted on 02/14/2023 3:17:03 PM PST by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable animals)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I guess they’re keeping the worn and ‘spotted with bodily fluids’ shirtless Putin poster that’s found in many bedrooms of those who post here.


11 posted on 02/14/2023 3:18:10 PM PST by Brellium (The environment is of upmost importance, without trees where will we hang Moscovites?)
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To: rxh4n1

Such a great song,


12 posted on 02/14/2023 6:07:43 PM PST by married21 (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Wonder what his freeper handle is?


13 posted on 02/14/2023 6:10:14 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

If it’s true they found this stuff in his flat, he is the stupidest spy ever to exist.


14 posted on 02/14/2023 11:52:58 PM PST by advance_copy (Stand for life or nothing at all)
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