Estonia arrests ex-intel officer for alleged spying for Russia
TALLINN. Aug 9 (Interfax) - A retired Estonian domestic intelligence officer has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia.
"For a number of years before his retirement in 2011, Vladimir Veitman, a former officer at KaPo [Internal Security Service], had been collecting classified information and passing it over to intelligence services in the Russian Federation. He had access to various official secrets," Estonian Prosecutor General Normal Aas told a news conference in Tallinn on Friday.
"Russia still tries to find traitors to the nation in Estonia," Aas said. "KaPo is aware of this threat and takes necessary measures."
KaPo Director General Arnold Sinisalu said Veitman had served at KaPo since 1997.
"It's impossible to say now when suspicions [about Veitman's alleged spying] arose. According to information that has been collected, he worked for the intelligence services in Russia, but I can't specify which service, though this is known. We know who directed the agent," Sinisalu told reporters.
Veitman worked in KaPo's technical support unit, Sinisalu said.
He was born in Tallinn in 1950, is a graduate of the Tallinn Polytechnical University, and served in the Estonian branch of Soviet security agency KGB.
"We don't have any evidence so far that he has divulged any secrets of other countries," Sinisalu said.
The KaPo chief said Veitman had admitted to the espionage charge and had turned over part of the money he had received from Russia for his alleged spying.
Veitman was arrested by KaPo on Wednesday. His arrest was upheld by the Harju district court on Friday.