A suspected network of up to 20 “illegal” Russian agents in Britain is being investigated by internal spy agency MI5.
The agency’s focus on unravelling Moscow’s “deep cover” operations has intensified after the arrest last week of 10 alleged agents in the US.
A central figure in that suspected spy ring was Russian socialite Anna Chapman, 28, who spent five years in Britain.
MI5 fears that Ms Chapman, described in FBI court documents as “a practised deceiver”, may have recruited a network of sub-agents or “sleepers” before she left Britain in 2007.
MI5 is trying to find out whether Ms Chapman had links with intelligence officers working undercover as diplomats at Russia’s embassy in London. The agency believes the embassy has up to 35 intelligence officers – or half the diplomatic staff.
In addition, intelligence analysts suspect there may be between 15 and 20 “illegals”.
MI5 is examining claims by Alex, Ms Chapman’s British former husband, that she may have been recruited in London.
Mr Chapman yesterday revealed lurid details and naked photographs of his former wife to the News of the World tabloid. After detailing their love lives, including sex on a flight to Moscow, Mr Chapman was quoted as saying the couple separated because “I was the creative person but she had become ambitious and materialistic”.
A former boyfriend of Ms Chapman expressed astonishment at her arrest. Laurent Tailleur, 31, a businessman who now lives in Dubai, said: “There was nothing unusual about her. It seems very, very strange to me that she could be an agent.”
The couple first met at Tramp, the London nightclub popular with celebrities and other wealthy individuals.
Within two months, she had moved in to Mr Tailleur’s pound stg. 1 million flat off the King’s Road in London’s Chelsea. The couple holidayed in Paris and at a villa near St Tropez. “She was pretty and a very nice, simple girl. I was attracted to her,” Mr Tailleur said.
He said he had originally suggested to Ms Chapman that she set up an internet estate agency called PropertyFinder.com.
“I last spoke to her about a month and a half ago. She called me and sounded very happy,” he said.
“She was loving New York, and kept saying how much fun it was. The company was very successful, which was a bit of a surprise, especially so soon, but I was happy for her.”
US authorities decided to end a decade of investigation and arrest suspects in the spy ring because of a threat to the case.
“Something happened that was going to affect them all,” a senior law enforcement official told The Washington Post, without disclosing what occurred to prompt the June 27 arrests.
Be the first to comment