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Grainy images' secretly taped by Russian agents, the subject, a British diplomat -- part of an alleged spy ring in the Russian capital. The country's Federal Security Service, the old KGB has named four British diplomats linking their activities to the funding of non-governmental organizations operating in Russia. The statement from the British Foreign Office was careful to deny this,
"We are concerned and surprised at these allegations" it said," We reject any allegation of improper conducts in our dealings with Russian NGOs."
It was this Russian news program that revealed the scandal. The report featured what it said was a highly sophisticated spying device hidden on the outskirts of Moscow, inside a rock. Russian agents said at first they thought it was a stone like any other, but it was found to contain sensitive equipment, allegedly used to transmit information, to inform Russian informants. The gadget, straight out of a James Bond movie, Russian security officials say spies could transmit information to the rock via a handheld device to be stored until picked up.
In the process of our investigation, we found a Russian man who worked for the British security services. He was arrested and confessed. He said he was hired by the British who gave him special equipment when he was on a business trip to London. Secret cameras filmed all four of the named British diplomats visiting the rock. Russian agents say there seems to have been a problem with the device, but it was eventually picked up and carried away by one of the diplomats.
This is an intrigue could well raise diplomatic tensions between these old Cold War rivals, but the real issue that's causing concern at the moments is the linkage being made by Russia between the spying and the work of non-governmental organizations here. There are fears among democracy activists ,that could be used as a reason by the Kremlin to further crackdown. Already the Russian president Vladimir Putin has been sharply criticized in the West for allowing legislation limiting the activities of NGOs. Russian TV and documents showing large sums were paid by the British government to certain groups. Payments authorized by one of those accused of spying. It's a connection the British government rejects.
"It is well known that the UK government has financially supported projects implemented by Russian NGOs in the field of human rights and civil society," it says, "All our assistance is given openly and aims to support the development of a healthy civil society in Russia.
But this whole affair raises questions about that civil society, how independent is the Russian media; how prepared is the Kremlin to discredit non-governmental groups. And even though the Cold War is over, it seems the old intrigue lives on.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
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