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Analysis: FSB: Law enforcement success. Trepashkin penalized

April 03, 2007
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By Fabian Adami, ISCIP

Trepashkin: State revenge for Litvinenko allegations?

In October 2003, Mikhail Trepashkin, a lawyer and former FSB officer was arrested on charges of treason. The FSB alleged that classified documents, which Trepashkin supposedly was planning to pass on to foreign powers, had been discovered in his apartment. Although the espionage allegation was based largely on hearsay, Trepashkin was convicted and sentenced to serve a four-year sentence.

At the time of his arrest, Trepashkin was representing one of two defendants in a trial over the 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow. Trepashkin apparently possessed evidence implicating the FSB in the atrocity that he planned to bring to light during the trial. As such, it seemed safe to conclude that his arrest was a "silencing exercise," ordered at the highest levels. (1)

In the aftermath of Alexander Litvinenko’s death last November, Trepashkin, remarkably, has been able to make his voice heard on the case. Firstly, he succeeded in dispatching a letter from prison in Nizhny Tagil, in which he claimed that the FSB had established a hit squad with orders to eliminate Litvinenko. (2) Perhaps more remarkably, the BBC succeeded in speaking to Trepashkin directly via a phone smuggled into prison by a Russian film maker. In a conversation recorded for BBC’s "Panorama,” Trepashkin claimed that he had been assigned the advance surveillance work with orders to "find the route to Litvinenko...discover his pattern of movement, his meeting places. I realized they wanted to send one person to find his whereabouts, and the group will follow.” (3)

Trepashkin’s allegations, as well as the fact that he was somehow accessible, have now brought a reaction. On 9 March, a court in Nizhny Tagil ruled that Trepashkin should be transferred to a higher security "general colony.” According to his lawyer, the sentence was imposed due to Trepashkin’s violation of "sentencing regulations.” (4) At this juncture, it seems evident that Trepashkin’s change in status is designed both to ensure he cannot speak out any longer, as well as to punish his verbosity. Given the fact that Trepashkin apparently is being denied the necessary medical care for his asthma, (5) the message being sent is: we can make your life even worse. So keep quiet.

FSB touts law-enforcement success

On 15 March, the FSB announced that it had smashed an international gang, "engaging in human trafficking and illegal immigration,” specifically from South-East Asian and CIS countries to Western Europe. Russia apparently was the hub of the operation. (6)

The group used "dummy firms” in several Russian towns as cover. These front businesses subsequently falsified employment contracts with dual-nationality Russian citizens wishing to move abroad, in order to obtain their foreign passports. Once passports had been obtained, the firms then created Schengen visa documents on the passports—replacing the owner’s photos with those of persons being trafficked. (7) Those wishing to reach Western Europe were forced to pay between three and five thousand Euros for their documents.

According to the FSB’s spokesman, the law enforcement operation was an international effort involving Uzbek, Italian, Finnish and Russian authorities. "Key gang leaders” from Russia, the Ukraine and Moldova were "caught red-handed.” (8) The 20 individuals captured apparently included the head of the gang, a "Russian state official.” (9) The FSB has stated that six criminal cases have been filed, and that the investigation is ongoing. As yet, no announcement has been made as to the "state official’s” identity, his job title, or even the department of the government in which he worked. It seems safe to assume that the department involved is connected with law enforcement or immigration in some manner. As such, FSB employees cannot be above suspicion.

At this point in time, no reason for doubting the veracity of the FSB’s claim exists. Human trafficking operations are prevalent across Eastern Europe. It is possible, however, that the FSB is exaggerating the level of criminal operation—as well as its own achievement. The agency has been the target of some serious criticism of late. What better way to silence the critics, than by demonstrating the agency’s efficiency and humanity in busting what is essentially a "slave trade” operation?

FSB director in Caucasus

In mid-March, FSB Director Nikolai Patrushev traveled to Chechnya to preside at the opening of the agency’s new headquarters in Grozny alongside Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. (10) It seems clear that the occasion was designed to demonstrate Moscow’s trust in the loyalist government; indeed an announcement was given that authority would be partially restored to the Chechen government in the law-enforcement field. Kadyrov announced that as a result of negotiations with Eduard Petrukhin, deputy head of the Russian Federal Penal Service, Chechen criminals convicted in other regions of the Russian Federation will be returned to serve their sentences in the Chechen Republic. (11) Kadyrov will "personally supervise” construction of two penal colonies by the end of 2007, after which an initial 1,000 prisoners will be transferred. (12)

The occasion also was used to announce a major new drive to capture or kill the "last Chechen warlords Akhmed Zakayev and Khozh-Akhmed Nukhayev,” who "remain at large.” (13) Patrushev’s trip included the viewing of a new FSB training complex in Dagestan, which is specifically to be used for the FSB’s Special Forces Units, (14) including the Alpha Team. It seems likely that this facility will serve as a "launch-pad” into Chechnya, presumably for special-forces units conducting a hunt for the individuals named by Patrushev.

Update: Russia complains of delay in investigation

Russian officials involved in the Litvinenko case have stated that they have a list of some 100 people to be questioned, including Boris Berezovsky. (15) According to Deputy Prosecutor General Alexander Zyvagintsev, as of mid-March, permission has not yet been granted for Russian officials to travel to London. Zyvagintsev expressed frustration, claiming that Russian authorities had waived rules for the British, and that reciprocity should follow. (16) British authorities apparently have held up the investigation because the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has asked police to unearth more details before proceeding with the case. Scotland Yard has responded by stating that "we ensure all due processes are carried out.” (17) Given Russia’s obstruction of British investigations in December and January, whereby officers were refused access to witnesses as well as locations around Moscow, complaints by the Russian Prosecutor’s office should be taken with a pinch of salt at best, and viewed as downright hypocritical at worst.

Source Notes:
(1) See The NIS Observed: An Analytical Review, Volume IX, Number 09 (12 Jun 04)
(2) See The ISCIP Analyst, Volume XIII, Number 5 (5 Dec 06)
(3) "How To Poison a Spy,” 22 Jan 07 via www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/6276225.stm.
(4) "Russian Court Orders Stricter Confinement For Former Russian Security Officer Trepashkin,” International Herald Tribune, 9 Mar 07 via www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/09/europe/EU-GEN-Russia-Security-Officer-Trial.php.
(5) "Russia; Further Information On Health Concern/Denial of Medical Treatment: Mikhail Ivanovich Trepashkin,” Amnesty International Urgent Action Network, 13 Marc 07 via www.web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR460072007.
(6) "FSB Routs Human Trafficking Group,” ITAR-TASS, 15 Mar 07 via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(7) Ibid.
(8) "Human Trafficking Group Busted in Russia,” ITAR-TASS, 15 Mar 07 via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(9) Russian Special Service Busts Human Trafficking Ring Set Up By State Official,” RTR Rossiya, Moscow, in Russian, 15 Mar 07; BBC Monitoring via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(10) ITAR-TASS, 16 Mar 07; WPS Defense and Security via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(11) "Russian Security Chief Opens New FSB Building in Chechen Capital,” NTV Mir, Moscow, in Russian, 14 Mar 07; BBC Monitoring via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(12) Ibid.
(13) "FSB To Seek Detention of Chechen Warlords Remaining At Large,” ITAR-TASS, 15 Mar 07 via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(14) "FSB Director Accepts Several FSB Facilities in N Caucasus,” ITAR-TASS, 15 Mar 07 via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe .
(15) "Russia Wants to Question 100 People in UK ex-Spy Probe,” RIA Novosti, 12 Mar 07 via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(16) "British Prosecutors May Explain Hold Up in Litvinenko Inquiry,” The Moscow Times, 19 Mar 07 via Lexis Nexis Academic Universe.
(17) Ibid.

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