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Russian citizen in Nigeria accused of spyingOn October 11, 2006 the Nigerian court accused six foreigners and three locals of espionage. It is alleged that the three foreigners, Irishman James, Romanian Bogdam Dumistrescu and Israeli Eliav Hommossany made arrangements with three Nigerian Ministry of Defence staff to illegally obtain classified security documents to pass information to the Russian defence attaché in Abuja. The alleged offence was said to have occurred between January 2004 and June 2006, when Nigerian Vincent Shigrut were supposed to have obtained the security documents and passed them on to the foreigners, with intent to pass them on to the Russian defence attaché. A Nigerian government official has said the information was related to the procurement of arms and All six pleaded guilty to the charges brought up against them and if found guilty could face up to 14 years in prison. Two other foreigners, Russian Nikolai Salnikov, 51, and Irishman Michael Quinn, who are still wanted by the local authorities, but fled the country, were also charged for similar offences. On October 26 The Sunday Times reported that Michael Quinn, 65, had a contract with the country’s ministry of defence for refurbishing tanks. Michael Quinn runs a company, Marshpearl, which the Nigerian government paid to maintain and upgrade 36 British-made Scorpion attack vehicles in 2001. Quinn and Nikolai Salnikov were also charged with “unlawfully obtaining and transmitting documents related to a protected place” in court papers. The pair were described as “still at large”. The “protected place” has not been named but is understood to be linked to Nigerian military production. Sources:
Agentura.Ru March 2011 |
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