10 alleged Russian secret agents arrested in US

[pdubyoo]

When I first saw this headline, I immediately thought that among the 10 names, I would read Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Emanuel, etc. Hmmm, I was wrong.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-ge ... a.Arrests/

The most disturbing sentence to me in this article was "Their job, according to the court papers in the case, was "to search and develop ties in policymaking circles" in the United States." I think the Commies have already accomplished that!

WASHINGTON — Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

The Justice Department announced the arrests Monday.

According to court papers in the case, the U.S. government intercepted a message from Russian intelligence headquarters in Moscow to two of the defendants. The message states that their main mission is "to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US" and send intelligence reports.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government in the United States, the Justice Department said Monday.

Eight of 10 were arrested Sunday for allegedly carrying out long-term, deep cover assignments in the United States on behalf of Russia.

Two others were arrested for allegedly participating in the same Russian intelligence program within the United States.

Their job, according to the court papers in the case, was "to search and develop ties in policymaking circles" in the United States.

Each of the 10 was charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison on conviction.

The cases were filed in U.S. District Court for the southern district of New York.

Federal law prohibits individuals from acting as agents of foreign governments within the United States without notifying the U.S. attorney general.

Nine of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum 20 years in prison on conviction.

FBI agents arrested the defendants known as Richard Murphy and Cynthia Murphy at their residence in Montclair, N.J., and they were appearing Monday in federal court in Manhattan.

Three other defendants also were being taken to federal court in Manhattan — Vicky Pelaez and a defendant known as "Juan Lazaro," who were arrested at their residence in Yonkers, N.Y., and Anna Chapman, who was arrested in Manhattan on Sunday.

Two other defendants known as Michael Zottoli and Patricia Mills were arrested at their residence in Arlington, Va., and were appearing in federal court in Alexandria, Va., on Monday.

Also being taken to federal court in Alexandria was Mikhail Semenko, who was arrested Sunday at his residence in Arlington.

Two defendants known as Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley were arrested at their residence in Boston on Sunday and were appearing in federal court in Boston on Monday.

The Justice Department said that a defendant known as Christopher R. Metsos was not in custody.

The arrests were the result of a multiyear FBI investigation into an alleged network of U.S.-based agents who concealed all connections between themselves and Russia.

The U.S. government intercepted a message from Russian intelligence headquarters in Moscow to two of the defendants, Richard and Cynthia Murphy.

"You were sent to USA for long-term service trip," the message from Moscow. "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 US and sent intels," the message added.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[gtrman66]

And people though the cold war was over... idiots.

[Oldgringo]

What a CROCK! Russia is no longer the enemy it once was. Their war in Afghanistan bankrupted the USSR.

IMO, this newsworthy action is pure political re-election propaganda put forth to distract the American public from the oil spill in the gulf, Afghanistan, the economy and the POTUS' entertainment agenda. Unless I'm mistaken, these Russkis were accused of doing what our foriegn embassy folk are supposed to be doing every day. Searching my old memory, I can't come up with the last time a Russian blew up a building in this country. Anybody else?

The real enemies are the muslim fundamentalist jihadists. Mr. AG Holder, how many of these real, religiously driven, avowed muslim enemies of the United States did your troops arrest today? BTW, did you or your troops notice any more illegal aliens than usual crossing our southern borders lately?

[jlangton]

What a CROCK! Russia is no longer the enemy it once was. Their war in Afghanistan bankrupted the USSR.

IMO, this newsworthy action is pure political re-election propaganda put forth to distract the American public from the oil spill in the gulf, Afghanistan, the economy and the POTUS' entertainment agenda. Unless I'm mistaken, these Russkis were accused of doing what our foriegn embassy folk are supposed to be doing every day. Searching my old memory, I can't come up with the last time a Russian blew up a building in this country. Anybody else?

The real enemies are the muslim fundamentalist jihadists. Mr. AG Holder, how many of these real, religiously driven, avowed muslim enemies of the United States did your troops arrest today? BTW, did you or your troops notice any more illegal aliens than usual crossing our southern borders lately?

[pdubyoo]

What a CROCK! Russia is no longer the enemy it once was. Their war in Afghanistan bankrupted the USSR.

IMO, this newsworthy action is pure political re-election propaganda put forth to distract the American public from the oil spill in the gulf, Afghanistan, the economy and the POTUS' entertainment agenda. Unless I'm mistaken, these Russkis were accused of doing what our foriegn embassy folk are supposed to be doing every day. Searching my old memory, I can't come up with the last time a Russian blew up a building in this country. Anybody else?

The real enemies are the muslim fundamentalist jihadists. Mr. AG Holder, how many of these real, religiously driven, avowed muslim enemies of the United States did your troops arrest today? BTW, did you or your troops notice any more illegal aliens than usual crossing our southern borders lately?

Oldgringo, I agree with you, that Russia, as a country, is not much of a threat. However, their ideology is still as dangerous today as it was during the cold war and prior. Communism and socialism have taken quite a strong-hold in our country in the last 20 years, made evident by actions of the administration over the last 18 months. The ideology embraced by this administration and the leadership of Congress has done more to minimize our Constitution than anything else in our history. The fact that the mission of these Russian spies was to "develop ties in policymaking circles" is troubling. The enemy...not just Russia...has figured-out that the best way to defeat the U.S. is to change the ideology. Further, let's not forget who the Russians are cozy with...Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Somolia, North Korea, China. I just wonder where the Russian intelligence gathered by those spies was going.

Complacency is the worst stance that we can take. Even though the SCOTUS handed down a victory for Constitutional loyalists this week, the ideology shift that is being driven by DC leadership aims to reverse that as soon as possible.

[bdickens]

When I first saw this headline, I immediately thought that among the 10 names, I would read Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Emanuel, etc. Hmmm, I was wrong.

I thought Russia gave up Communism.

[Oldgringo]

Oldgringo, I agree with you, that Russia, as a country, is not much of a threat. However, their ideology is still as dangerous today as it was during the cold war and prior. Communism and socialism have taken quite a strong-hold in our country in the last 20 years, made evident by actions of the administration over the last 18 months. The ideology embraced by this administration and the leadership of Congress has done more to minimize our Constitution than anything else in our history. The fact that the mission of these Russian spies was to "develop ties in policymaking circles" is troubling. The enemy...not just Russia...has figured-out that the best way to defeat the U.S. is to change the ideology. Further, let's not forget who the Russians are cozy with...Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Somolia, North Korea, China. I just wonder where the Russian intelligence gathered by those spies was going.

Complacency is the worst stance that we can take. Even though the SCOTUS handed down a victory for Constitutional loyalists this week, the ideology shift that is being driven by DC leadership aims to reverse that as soon as possible.

Agreed. Everyone has, and perhaps retains, their own old agendae and socio/economic philosophies.

The point I apparently did not make is that our greatest enemy is already within our gates and growing in strength everyday. We must fight one front at a time...Hitler should have taught us that.

I do not think that the alleged Russian spies within our gates are our greatest enemies. I do think that it's a convenient distraction from the other ongoing evils and issues facing us this election year. Afterall, haven't these Russkis been in the country several years already? To paraphrase TAM, the Russkis are small potatoes. Why out them at this time?

[gtrman66]

When I first saw this headline, I immediately thought that among the 10 names, I would read Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Emanuel, etc. Hmmm, I was wrong.

I thought Russia gave up Communism.

Putin still wears the "crown" and he is ex-KGB. He scares the willies outta me. I'm willing to bet that with his word every nuke (and they still have a lot) would be pointed back at the US in about 30 seconds.