Self-Determination

I had to laugh at the news that the American spook, Eric Snowden, allowed himself to be used as a useful prop on a Russian TV 'question and answer' session with the country's President, Vladimir Putin.

I imagine he is one of the few Russian citizens who while given a platform to say what he likes, so long as he is attacking the west and I imagine Eric Snowden had nothing sensible to say, for example, on the recent events in Ukraine or Russia's annexation of the Crimea by force.  

I wonder why the young American didn't ask the Russian President if he would support an independence referendum in Chechnya, given his belated support for self-determination in neighbouring countries outside the Russian Federation. 

Russian Games (12 February 2014)

I'm not sure that it will do much good, but Marina Litvinenko, the  widow of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, has won a major court victory which means that government ministers will have to think again about holding a public inquiry into his death. 

Whatever the UK might do Russia has already given the main suspect, Andrei Lugovoi, immunity from prosecution and extradition by making him a deputy in the Russian Duma or Parliament.

So, a public inquiry will only tells us what we already know while having no powers to bring those responsible to justice.

All the same you have to admire the determination of Marina Litvinenko to keep the issue in the public eye - and I wish her well in her campaign. 

Spooks and Spies (6 July 2013)

I was rather surprised by the recent announcement that Eric Snowden, the former American 'spook', is seeking political asylum in - wait for it - freedom loving Russia.

Now I can quite accept that America does not always live up to its billing as the 'land of the free and the brave' -

But the last time I looked Russia was playing fast and loose with its constitution to allow Vladimir Putin a third term as President, operating virtually as a one party state, passing legislation that openly discriminates against gay people - and murdering exiled dissidents like Alexander Litvinenko.

And with exquisite timing along comes another scandal from Germany - which just goes to show that to a greater or lesser extent many of the most powerful nations in the world are snooping and spying on each other all the time.

In Germany a married couple - Andreas (54) and Heidrun (48) Anschlag - were jailed earlier this week after spying for Russia for more than two decades - during which they lived a quiet suburban life having entered Germany in 1988 via South America on false Austrian passports.   

Andreas and Heidrun (real names Sasaha and Olga) were passing information to Russian handlers - their espionage activities included making a payment of 72,000 Euros to a Dutch diplomat for top secret EU information on Georgia and details of NATO operations in Libya and Afghanistan.

Sasha was caught 'red-handed' (pardon the pun) while sending a short wave radio transmission to his Russian handlers whose private thoughts about modern Germany were worryingly hostile - describing it as the 'land of the enemy'.

Now wonder Angela Merkel gave Vladimir Putin a good kicking during her recent state visit to Russia - but it just goes to show how naïve spooks and spies can be, if Eric Snowden's bizarre choice of an adopted homeland is anything to go by.   

For their part the Russians don't seem too keen to welcome him with open arms - which can only mean that they have plenty of work for their home grown agents - at the moment anyway.

Safe Havens (16 July 2013)

While the former American spook, Eric Snowden, is thinking about seeking political asylum in Russia I wonder if he might like to raise the curious case of Alexander Litvinenko - with his new comrades and friends.

Now I'm sure that Alexander Litvinenko became a useful source of information to British intelligence handlers - a 'spy' in the very broadest sense of that word - but in no way could he have been regarded as an on-going threat to Russian security.

Yet he was murdered by consuming radioactive Polonium shortly after taking tea with two former Russian intelligence agents in a London hotel - an act which could only have been organised by a very sophisticated state machine with a motive to kill a Russian defector.

So Russia looks like a very unpromising place for an American spy to call his new home from home - although this is a very murky world where things are not necessarily as reliable or believable as they would first appear.

Andrew Lugovoi has since become a Russian MP, of course, which makes it unlawful for the Russian authorities even to consider extraditing him to the UK - where he is wanted for questioning in connection with a cowardly and vile murder plot.

Here's a little history of the Litvinenko case which I came across on the BBC web site - I can't say I'm surprised that the Government has decided not to proceed with a public inquiry.

Because what would that tell us other than it is almost certainly the case that Russia and its intelligence services - were responsible for Alexander Litvinenko's untimely and unnatural death. 

The Litvinenko case

• 1 Nov 2006 - Alexander Litvinenko has tea with former agents Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun in London
• 4 Nov 2006 - After three days of vomiting he is admitted to hospital, and dies 22 days later. His death is attributed to radiation poisoning
• May 2007 - The UK decides Mr Lugovoi should be charged with the murder of Mr Litvinenko. He denies any involvement but says Mr Litvinenko was a British spy
• 5 Jul 2007 - Russia officially refuses to extradite Mr Lugovoi, prompting a diplomatic row
• 20 Sept 2012 - Pre-inquest review hears that Russia's links to the death will be probed
• May-June 2013 - Inquest into Mr Litvinenko's death delayed as coroner decides a public inquiry would be preferable