Russia officially indicts U.S. citizen Whelan for spying - source
MOSCOW. Jan 3 (Interfax) - Russian investigative agencies have indicted U.S. citizen Paul Whelan for spying, an informed source told Interfax on Thursday.
"An indictment has been presented. Whelan dismisses it," the source said.
It had been reported earlier that Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officials detained Whelan in Moscow on suspicion of spying on December 28.
"The FSB's Investigative Directorate opened a criminal case against the U.S. citizen under Russian Criminal Code Article 276 (espionage)," the FSB told Interfax on December 31.
Paul Whelan's twin brother David claimed that Paul had arrived in Moscow as he had been invited to a wedding. David Whelan also said Paul was a retired marine. The Whelans family have turned for help to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. embassy to Russia, and to the U.S. Department of State, David Whelan said.