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Dutch expelled Russians over alleged novichok lab hacking plot Dutch expelled Russians over alleged novichok lab hacking plot
(35 minutes later)
The Dutch government expelled two alleged Russian spies this year after they were accused of planning to hack into a Swiss chemicals laboratory where novichok nerve agent samples from the Salisbury attack were analysed, it has emerged.The Dutch government expelled two alleged Russian spies this year after they were accused of planning to hack into a Swiss chemicals laboratory where novichok nerve agent samples from the Salisbury attack were analysed, it has emerged.
The men were arrested in The Hague this spring as part of an operation involving British, Swiss and Dutch intelligence agencies.The men were arrested in The Hague this spring as part of an operation involving British, Swiss and Dutch intelligence agencies.
The Swiss daily newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported that the men were carrying equipment that could be used to break into the Spiez laboratory’s IT network when they were seized.The Swiss daily newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported that the men were carrying equipment that could be used to break into the Spiez laboratory’s IT network when they were seized.
Isabelle Graber, the head of communications at the Swiss intelligence service, the FIS, said in a statement issued to the Guardian: “The Swiss authorities are aware of the case of Russian spies discovered in The Hague and expelled from the same place.Isabelle Graber, the head of communications at the Swiss intelligence service, the FIS, said in a statement issued to the Guardian: “The Swiss authorities are aware of the case of Russian spies discovered in The Hague and expelled from the same place.
“The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) participated actively in this operation together with its Dutch and British partners. The FIS has thus contributed to the prevention of illegal actions against a critical Swiss infrastructure.”“The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) participated actively in this operation together with its Dutch and British partners. The FIS has thus contributed to the prevention of illegal actions against a critical Swiss infrastructure.”
Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military officer and double agent for MI6, and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned in Salisbury on 4 March.Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military officer and double agent for MI6, and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned in Salisbury on 4 March.
The Spiez laboratory, near Berne, subsequently confirmed a British claim that the Skripals had been victims of the military-grade nerve agent novichok. The laboratory has also been investigating poison gas attacks by the Syrian regime backed by the Kremlin.The Spiez laboratory, near Berne, subsequently confirmed a British claim that the Skripals had been victims of the military-grade nerve agent novichok. The laboratory has also been investigating poison gas attacks by the Syrian regime backed by the Kremlin.
It is unclear why the two expelled men were in The Hague, which hosts the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).It is unclear why the two expelled men were in The Hague, which hosts the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection said in June that the Spiez laboratory had been targeted by hackers said to be from the Russian government-affiliated group Sandworm. It is not clear whether the expulsion of the two spies from the Netherlands was linked.The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection said in June that the Spiez laboratory had been targeted by hackers said to be from the Russian government-affiliated group Sandworm. It is not clear whether the expulsion of the two spies from the Netherlands was linked.
The Sandworm hackers posed as the laboratory’s organising committee and circulated a document with instructions for a forthcoming conference on chemical weapons in September. They then targeted chemical weapons experts who had been invited to the conference and opened the document.The Sandworm hackers posed as the laboratory’s organising committee and circulated a document with instructions for a forthcoming conference on chemical weapons in September. They then targeted chemical weapons experts who had been invited to the conference and opened the document.
“Someone posed as the Spiez laboratory,” Kurt Münger, of the Federal Office for Civil Protection, said at the time. “We immediately informed the conference invitees that the document was not ours and pointed to the danger. The laboratory itself has not registered any outflow of data.”“Someone posed as the Spiez laboratory,” Kurt Münger, of the Federal Office for Civil Protection, said at the time. “We immediately informed the conference invitees that the document was not ours and pointed to the danger. The laboratory itself has not registered any outflow of data.”
In an interview with the Russian TV channel RT, two men identified as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who have been accused by the UK government of poisoning the Skripals, admitted they had visited Switzerland on a number of occasions.In an interview with the Russian TV channel RT, two men identified as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who have been accused by the UK government of poisoning the Skripals, admitted they had visited Switzerland on a number of occasions.
Petrov, who claims to be in the fitness and nutrition business, but is accused with Boshirov of being a member of the GRU, the Russian intelligence agency, said: “If memory serves me well, we had just a couple of trips to Switzerland. We spent some time during the new year holidays there. Our trips are not always business-related. We went to Switzerland on holiday. We did have some business trips there as well, but I can’t really remember when it was.”Petrov, who claims to be in the fitness and nutrition business, but is accused with Boshirov of being a member of the GRU, the Russian intelligence agency, said: “If memory serves me well, we had just a couple of trips to Switzerland. We spent some time during the new year holidays there. Our trips are not always business-related. We went to Switzerland on holiday. We did have some business trips there as well, but I can’t really remember when it was.”
The Spiez laboratory “advises national authorities and international organisations in implementing and developing arms control and non-proliferation agreements”, according to its website.The Spiez laboratory “advises national authorities and international organisations in implementing and developing arms control and non-proliferation agreements”, according to its website.
The laboratory is also “involved in international missions relating to arms control and environmental protection”.The laboratory is also “involved in international missions relating to arms control and environmental protection”.
In April Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, claimed in public he had received confidential information from the Spiez laboratory that the nerve agent used to poison Sergei Skripal in Britain could be a substance never produced in the Soviet Union or Russia. In April Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, claimed in public he had received confidential information from the Spiez laboratory that the nerve agent used to poison the Skripals in Britain could be a substance never produced in the Soviet Union or Russia.
He said the documents pointed at a western-designed nerve agent, the so-called BZ substance, as a likely cause of the poisoning, thus excluding Russia’s involvement in the attack. He did not disclose the source of his confidential information but said: “We are asking the OPCW why the information which reflected the conclusions of specialists from the Spiez laboratory was completely omitted from the final document.”He said the documents pointed at a western-designed nerve agent, the so-called BZ substance, as a likely cause of the poisoning, thus excluding Russia’s involvement in the attack. He did not disclose the source of his confidential information but said: “We are asking the OPCW why the information which reflected the conclusions of specialists from the Spiez laboratory was completely omitted from the final document.”
His allegations were later rejected since the BZ substance was only being used in the lab as a counter-sample to novichok.His allegations were later rejected since the BZ substance was only being used in the lab as a counter-sample to novichok.
The role of the OPCW has become a hotly contested diplomatic issue as Russia tries to rebut claims that forces loyal to the president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, have repeatedly used chemical weapons in Syria. The role of the OPCW has become a hotly contested diplomatic issue as Russia tries to rebut claims that forces loyal to the president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, have repeatedly used chemical weapons in Syria. It has a set number of certified laboratories where experts are empowered to examine suspected chemical weapons samples.
The Dutch government has declined to comment. Two Russian diplomats were expelled from the Netherlands in the wake of the Salisbury attack in a show of solidarity involving more than 25 countries worldwide. The west and Russia have accused one another of preparing to stage chemical weapons attacks in the Idlib region of Syria. Russia claims the west staged videos of fake Syrian attacks to manufacture justification for reprisals. It is expected that France, the UK and possibly Germany would be involved in any counter-attacks.
Russian officials for more than a week have been claiming camera crews, aided by the White Helmets volunteer civil defence group, are preparing to stage fake chemical attacks.
The Dutch government has declined to comment on the expulsions. Two Russian diplomats were expelled from the Netherlands in the wake of the Salisbury attack in a show of solidarity involving more than 25 countries worldwide.
Novichok poisoningsNovichok poisonings
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EuropeEurope
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