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Canadian diplomats confirm Whelan’s health is unchanged — brother

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said earlier that US citizen Paul Whelan was detained on December 28, 2018, in Moscow while on a spy mission

Paul Whelan EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Paul Whelan

© EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

NEW YORK, February 19. /TASS/. Staff from the Canadian Embassy in Russia visited Paul Whelan detained in Russia on espionage charges, on Thursday, February 14, his brother David Whelan said in a letter emailed to TASS on Monday, adding that their conversation lasted about 90 minutes.

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"They were able to confirm that his health and situation is unchanged since the U.S. consular visit the previous week," he said.

The Canadian consular staff also suggested that Paul Whelan sign power of attorney, for the family to "be able to help handle his personal life while he is unable to do so".

Apart from being a US citizen, Paul Whelan also holds British, Canadian and Irish passports.

He also said Whelan’s relatives "have had regular, probably daily, interactions with State Department staff from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and American Citizen Services in Washington D.C.".

According to official data, Paul Whelan, 48, is global security chief at BorgWarner, a Michigan-based automotive components company. In the 1990s, before joining the US army, he worked for Michigan police. He served at the US Marine Corps, having administrative posts. In January 2008, he was convicted on embezzlement charges and fired from the US army.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said earlier that US citizen Paul Whelan was detained on December 28, 2018, in Moscow while on a spy mission. A criminal investigation was opened against him on espionage charges carrying a punishment of up to 20 years in jail.

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