A man identified as a "British spy" by Russian intelligence in television footage shown on national television was named by diplomatic sources Tuesday as Norman MacSween, a counselor at the British Embassy in Moscow.
NTV Independent Television showed a clip Sunday evening on "Itogi" of a man who Russian intelligence allege is a British Intelligence contact of Platon Obukhov, a Russian diplomat arrested in May on charges of spying for Britain.
Obukhov's arrest sparked the biggest East-West spy scandal since the end of the Cold War with Russia expelling four British diplomats and Britain responding by expelling four Russians.
The man, pacing on Gogolevsky Bulvar allegedly waiting for Obukhov to show up, was filmed by a hidden camera belonging to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, which furnished NTV with the tape.
"The NTV report stated in full our official position on Obukhov and the people pictured [in the broadcast]," said Dmitry Konyakhin, of the FSB's department of television relations, confirming that the surveillance pictures had been supplied to NTV to provide con not comment on his relationship to the Obukhov case.
"We regard the matter as closed," he said, adding that he saw "no reason" that MacSween should not resume his former duties on his return.
MacSween was not among the four British diplomats expelled in May after Obukhov's arrest, but intelligence sources thought it was unlikely that he would continue his posting.
"Of course, it is difficult for a spy to return after millions of people have seen his face," said Colonel Mikhail Lyubimov, who worked for the KGB in London in the 1960s. "It is obvious that [the man in the video] is a spy ... it is clear to a professional that he is not just standing in a queue for ice cream. The British should take it easy; they messed up, just like we messed up a thousand times, like when we lost [convicted Russian spy Aldrich] Ames. ... [MacSween] will be removed from Moscow, of course, and the full story of who played a role will emerge when all the tapes are shown at Obukhov's trial."
Lyubimov himself was made persona non grata in Britain in 1965, but his career was unharmed, and he went on to be KGB bureau chief in Copenhagen.
"However, if one of my agents was arrested and tried because of my error," Lyubimov continued, "I would expect to be punished. In Stalin's time, I would be shot."
There was some speculation as to why MacSween was not declared persona non grata in May, since the compromising FSB video was apparently filmed, judging by the subject's coat, on a chilly spring or autumn day.
"It is possible that the FSB ... wanted to get him out of Moscow without [provoking] another round of expulsions," said one Western diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous, referring to the tit-for-tat expulsions of Russian diplomats in London in May. "It's very ... neat. He [MacSween] may come back, but it is unlikely he will stay."
The FSB refused to comment on whether the "spies" featured in the clips would be expelled.
NTV stated repeatedly during Sunday night's broadcast that all the information on the "Itogi" report was provided by the FSB; information that it reported in toto, without adding its own reporting, said a spokesman at the "Itogi" editorial offices who would not give his name.
But Boris Labushov, spokesman for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, rejected suggestions that NTV was being used as a tool by the security services.
"I believe that NTV is living up to its title and remaining independent," said Labushov. "If you take [the assertion that NTV was 'used'] to its logical conclusion it would mean that NTV is an organ of the security services, which is not the case."
The FSB's Konyakhin said Obukhov had specifically requested an interview with NTV, and that the FSB had merely fulfilled his wishes.
"The FSB wanted to show the tapes and the suspect earlier," said Lyubimov. "The Western press accused the government of fomenting the spy scandal because of the elections ... but here we have proof that there really was spying."
The British media were prevented from publishing MacSween's name in connection to the case by a "DA" or "Defense Advisory" notice, a non-binding injunction issued by a committee of British politicians, defense and security personnel and senior editors to prevent national security breaches. The injunction does not affect non-British papers such as The Moscow Times.
"DA notices indicate general areas where editors are advised to seek my advice," said the Defense Advisory Note Committee's secretary, Rear Admiral David Pulvertaft. "They are formulated after discussions on a confidential basis ... they are not amended in respect to particular circumstances. ... [But] I do remind editors from time to time about the notices."
Graham Paterson, foreign editor of The Times of London, confirmed that his paper received a call from the DA note office Monday evening, advising against publishing the names of any suspected Moscow-based intelligence staff "in the interests of national security."
NTV Independent Television showed a clip Sunday evening on "Itogi" of a man who Russian intelligence allege is a British Intelligence contact of Platon Obukhov, a Russian diplomat arrested in May on charges of spying for Britain.
Obukhov's arrest sparked the biggest East-West spy scandal since the end of the Cold War with Russia expelling four British diplomats and Britain responding by expelling four Russians.
The man, pacing on Gogolevsky Bulvar allegedly waiting for Obukhov to show up, was filmed by a hidden camera belonging to the Federal Security Service, or FSB, which furnished NTV with the tape.
"The NTV report stated in full our official position on Obukhov and the people pictured [in the broadcast]," said Dmitry Konyakhin, of the FSB's department of television relations, confirming that the surveillance pictures had been supplied to NTV to provide con not comment on his relationship to the Obukhov case.
"We regard the matter as closed," he said, adding that he saw "no reason" that MacSween should not resume his former duties on his return.
MacSween was not among the four British diplomats expelled in May after Obukhov's arrest, but intelligence sources thought it was unlikely that he would continue his posting.
"Of course, it is difficult for a spy to return after millions of people have seen his face," said Colonel Mikhail Lyubimov, who worked for the KGB in London in the 1960s. "It is obvious that [the man in the video] is a spy ... it is clear to a professional that he is not just standing in a queue for ice cream. The British should take it easy; they messed up, just like we messed up a thousand times, like when we lost [convicted Russian spy Aldrich] Ames. ... [MacSween] will be removed from Moscow, of course, and the full story of who played a role will emerge when all the tapes are shown at Obukhov's trial."
Lyubimov himself was made persona non grata in Britain in 1965, but his career was unharmed, and he went on to be KGB bureau chief in Copenhagen.
"However, if one of my agents was arrested and tried because of my error," Lyubimov continued, "I would expect to be punished. In Stalin's time, I would be shot."
There was some speculation as to why MacSween was not declared persona non grata in May, since the compromising FSB video was apparently filmed, judging by the subject's coat, on a chilly spring or autumn day.
"It is possible that the FSB ... wanted to get him out of Moscow without [provoking] another round of expulsions," said one Western diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous, referring to the tit-for-tat expulsions of Russian diplomats in London in May. "It's very ... neat. He [MacSween] may come back, but it is unlikely he will stay."
The FSB refused to comment on whether the "spies" featured in the clips would be expelled.
NTV stated repeatedly during Sunday night's broadcast that all the information on the "Itogi" report was provided by the FSB; information that it reported in toto, without adding its own reporting, said a spokesman at the "Itogi" editorial offices who would not give his name.
But Boris Labushov, spokesman for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, rejected suggestions that NTV was being used as a tool by the security services.
"I believe that NTV is living up to its title and remaining independent," said Labushov. "If you take [the assertion that NTV was 'used'] to its logical conclusion it would mean that NTV is an organ of the security services, which is not the case."
The FSB's Konyakhin said Obukhov had specifically requested an interview with NTV, and that the FSB had merely fulfilled his wishes.
"The FSB wanted to show the tapes and the suspect earlier," said Lyubimov. "The Western press accused the government of fomenting the spy scandal because of the elections ... but here we have proof that there really was spying."
The British media were prevented from publishing MacSween's name in connection to the case by a "DA" or "Defense Advisory" notice, a non-binding injunction issued by a committee of British politicians, defense and security personnel and senior editors to prevent national security breaches. The injunction does not affect non-British papers such as The Moscow Times.
"DA notices indicate general areas where editors are advised to seek my advice," said the Defense Advisory Note Committee's secretary, Rear Admiral David Pulvertaft. "They are formulated after discussions on a confidential basis ... they are not amended in respect to particular circumstances. ... [But] I do remind editors from time to time about the notices."
Graham Paterson, foreign editor of The Times of London, confirmed that his paper received a call from the DA note office Monday evening, advising against publishing the names of any suspected Moscow-based intelligence staff "in the interests of national security."