Ex- military police officer billed with handing down army tricks to Moscow for a minimum of 25 years
Thetest of a retired Austrian military colonel charged of betraying and also snooping state and also army tricks to Russian army knowledge for a minimum of 25 years has actually begun in Salzburg.
Theprevious police officer, 71, was detained in November 2018 and also billed last November, with district attorneys charging him of having actually handed down secret info concerning the Austrian armed force's tools systems and also weapons placements for concerning EUR2 80,000( PS243, 000 ).
Judgesat Salzburg's local court revealed on Monday early morning that the test would certainly be held behind shut doors considering that proof developed was most likely to consist of state tricks and also army knowledge.
Theretired colonel, from Salzburg, rejects all the accusations, declaring to have actually just handed down info that was currently public in papers or online. His legal representative claimed his customer was” a patriot” that corresponded with” particular individuals abroad” yet never ever breached the legislation in doing so.
Investigationsby Austria's Office for the Protection of the Constitution and also Counterterrorism exposed that the charged initial gotten in touch with Russia's army knowledge firm, the GRU, throughout an international designating in1987
InJuly 2019 Austriareleased a worldwide apprehension warrant for a Russian army police officer, Igor Egorovich Zaytsev, that they state hired the colonel. European and also global warrants have actually been released for him at the demand of the Salzburg cops.
Accordingto Austrian media, the colonel corresponded with his Russian trainer usage innovative tools.
Thetest, which will certainly speak with 19 witnesses, is set up to last for 5 court days, with a decision anticipated on 19 March.
Readmuch more: www.theguardian.com
