Russia orders expulsion of U.S. diplomat

[BiffSplitkins]

Moscow (CNN) -- Russia ordered an American diplomat to be expelled from the country Tuesday after accusing him of being a CIA agent who was trying to recruit a staff member of one of the Russian special services.

Russia's FSB counterintelligence agency declared Ryan Fogle, third secretary of the Political Department of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, "persona non grata" and asked for his "early expulsion."

Fogle was detained overnight Monday to Tuesday "during an attempt to recruit a representative of one of the Russian security services," the FSB said in a statement.

He was briefly held before being handed over to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, following formal protocol, the FSB said.

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[Ashotep]

The Russians bug our embassy and spy on us so it wouldn't surprise me if he was CIA.

The United States exchanged 10 Russian agents who'd been expelled from the U.S. for intelligence gathering for four individuals who'd been incarcerated in Russia.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Hilander

[Tutankhaten-pasheri]

After the almost unbelievable "rock" incident with the British a few years back, and ongoing concerns about foreign NGOs, this is not unexpected.

Seems no wiki about the rock, so here is this for those unfamiliar with this bizarre incident, which shows anything is possible.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/19/fake-rock-plot-spy-russians

[Taun]

This stuff happens all the time by practically every country - it's just the way the game is played...

[Space Commander Travis]

For a moment I thought it said "Russia orders explosion of US Diplomat". Anyway, this is all rather nostalgic, isn't it, for fans of John le Carré like myself.

[AlasBabylon]

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Russia has hordes of fifth-column enemies that should be expelled.

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