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SWEDEN-RUSSIA-SPYING
Swedish police arrest Russia spy suspect
STOCKHOLM, Feb 27, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A technology worker suspected of
spying for Russia has been arrested in Stockholm, the Swedish authorities
said Wednesday.
The person was believed to have been “recruited as an agent by a Russian
intelligence officer posing as a diplomat in Sweden”, head of counter
intelligence at Sweden’s security service Daniel Stenling said.
The suspect works in “high-tech” and has access to “information likely to
be of interest to foreign intelligence agencies”, the public prosecutor’s
office and Sweden’s security service said in a statement.
Police also arrested a second person during the operation on Tuesday, who
was later released after claiming diplomatic immunity, Swedish daily
Expressen said.
The authorities warned of the “high threat posed by foreign spies” in a
note last July.
“Russia poses the biggest intelligence threat to Sweden,” Stenling said at
the time.
Stockholm is particularly worried about attempts to influence elections and
public debate, for example through disinformation on social media.
“Threats to Sweden have increased in the past few years,” Stenling said
with cyber attacks adding to traditional intelligence work such as recruiting
agents.
BSS/AFP/RY/1722 hrs