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Charges brought in Germany against couple accused of espionage

The married couple identified in Germany as Andreas and Heidrun A. and arrested in October 2011, have stayed in Germany for more than 20 years

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

BERLIN, September 28 (Itar-Tass) — The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office has brought charges against a middle-aged Russian couple accused of being espionage agents for Moscow, its report said on Friday.

According to German law enforcement agencies, the married couple identified in Germany as Andreas and Heidrun A. and arrested in October 2011, have stayed in Germany for more than 20 years.

They arrived in Germany between 1998 and 1990 and supposedly worked for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, getting up to 100,000 euros a year. Their aim was to collect data on the activity of the European Union and NATO as well as on political and social climate in the country.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the accused couple remained in constant touch with Moscow. They used satellite communication and web sites where they posted coded messages, to convey the information. The case has been taken to the High Court Stuttgart.

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