Russian ex-spy says nukes hidden in California

United Press International - January 25, 2000 14:06

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A Soviet spy identified as the highest ranking member of the Russian military intelligence agency to defect to the United States, made a dramatic appearance Monday before a congressional hearing to repeat his previous claims that Soviet agents had stashed weapons and communications for future sabotage against U.S. targets. Former Col. Stanislav Lunev wore a black bag over his head and used an electronic device to disguise his voice as he testified from behind a protective barrier that blocked all but the congressional panel from seeing him. Lunev has suggested before, in a book published after he defected seven years ago, that portable nuclear devices may be lurking in suitcases hidden across the United States, but critics including State Department officials strongly dispute the claims. They point out that no such caches of either nuclear "suitcase bombs" or other weapons and communications equipment have ever been found in the United States. On Monday, Lunev did not have to face tough questions about details of his charges because the hearing was conducted by two Republican congressmen who are sympathetic to his cause-Reps. Dan Burton, R-Indiana and Joe Scarborough, R-Fla. Burton said he held Monday's hearing in Los Angeles because California was allegedly one of the major targets. Lunev said he cannot provide exact locations of the caches because his role was only to locate potential sites for the gear that later Soviet agents would use to disrupt U.S. life in a campaign of sabotage. In his heavy Russian accent, Lunev testified: "I had very clear instructions: These dead-drop positions would need to be for all types of weapons, including nuclear weapons." The "dead-drops" also were to include guns, radios, maps and cash. The Los Angeles Times quoted an unnamed State Department official Tuesday as saying the U.S. government is taking the allegations seriously, although, "We understand that the FBI investigation to date has not produced evidence of such arms caches in the United States." But evidence of such caches has been found in Europe-two in Switzerland and one in Belgium, which were searched after another Soviet defector, Vasili Mitrokhin wrote that hundreds of such sites were scattered throughout the United States and Europe.

-- Copyright 2000 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

-- Boom Boom (@ .), January 25, 2000

Answers

Now why do you suppose someone would go to all the trouble to put a bag over their head and disguise their voice if the international news was going to print their name?

-- Die Fledermaus (shadow@alliance.org), January 25, 2000.

Die,

He has used different "covers" and names throughout his career and would not want face recognition or biometric voice recognition.

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

Sounds to me like another "Limburger"tossed at Jack Sixpack,now what do suppose our two sympathetic Republican Senators were looking for,besides a Pork Barrel Defense Project for their District???

-- liberator (feeding@the trough.com), January 25, 2000.

The interesting omission is that such devices have not been found in the Continental US.

BUT! They have been found in Europe, and they were found based on information from such testimony.

Little bit of the Old Baloney Slicing, and what does "is" mean, exactly?

Harvey

-- Harvey Ballwhanger (harvey@whang.com), January 25, 2000.

Sorry guys! This is a truly serious issue. My father was a government agent.. if I told you where I'd have to kill you... but I have known for years that the suitcase bombs were in the country... They really do exist... and the best information I have is that their locations are unknown to our government... It is my understanding that the assumption has always been that they would used in major population centers... for obvious reasons... I have also been told that Russia make have sold some to the Arabs.. Now you know the truth..

-- agent's son (agent's son @topsecret.com), January 25, 2000.

Where? Check our .milbases. For example, 5000 Soviet tanks are maintained in NoVA alone. Yep, our boys keep them oiled and running, just waiting for the day. Estimates of 5k Soviet tanks placed in US alone. So I figure, following this trend, that perhaps their nukes are on our bases too. Hey, you gotta better idea? heh.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 25, 2000.

Hokie,

5k Russian tanks? What for! I can see keeping a few so the troops know what to expect from "the enemy", but do you know why they'd (we'd, I suppose) want to maintain so many?

Curious,

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.com), January 26, 2000.