Russia has 295 secret agents in Azerbaijan

National Security minister makes curious revelations

Minister for national security Namig Abbasov has told journalists that new coup attempts were not ruled out.

According to the minister, the ministry has discovered 213 Azeri nationals who had been secretly cooperating with foreign intelligence agencies. 186 others have been involved in such dealings. Min. Abbasov placed particular emphasis on Russia's Intelligence Office in this respect, which, as the minister believes, ran a network of 295 agents in Azerbaijan. All them were rendered innocuous.

13 expatriates have been arraigned too.

Attempt on Putin's life

An attempt on the life of Russian President Putin was masterminded during his official visit to Baku in January of this year, the minister said. According to him, the ministry had received a report concerning the planned assassination of the Russian president 3-4 months prior to his trip. With just 10 days left for the visit, the ministry actually intercepted a hand-over of a package of explosives to the would-be perpetrator of the assault, which turned out to be Iraqi national Kanan Rostam.

Under the cover of missionary work

Gen. Abbasov said most of the missionary organizations active in Azerbaijan actually represent a cover for foreign intelligence services. He then named a Finnish national, a member of the "Gift of life" organization Silvio Matti. According to the minister, the person was ousted from Azerbaijan for spying for foreign intelligence. Nevertheless, he comes to Baku as a member of the organization.

Criticizing the work of ADRA international organization, the minister said it was engaged in propagandizing the Adventist derivation of Christianity. ADRA, he said, has conducted a suspicious survey among 16-40 year-old Azeri women without prior notification of the Ministry of Health. The minister believes that most of the questions in the poll were of intelligence nature.

Mr. Abbasov then proposed to ban or suspend the activities of missionary groups in Azerbaijan because of the threat posed by such radical groups as "Jeishullah", which has tried to blow up the "Krishna consciousness" organization. According to him, "Niheyya mission", "Jegova Witnesses", "Gift of life", "Evangelistic Christian Associations", "New Apostle Church", "The seventh day Adventists" and a number of other Jewish religious entities represent a threat to national security.