The state-appointed lawyer of a former US Marine accused of spying by the Kremlin has today told a court that his client admits possession of state secrets.
Vladimir Zherebenkov, said Paul Whelan, 48, was handed a thumb drive he thought contained holiday photographs, 'cultural things' but 'it turned out it contained classified information.'
Russian intelligence claim Whelan has been spying for 10 years and was caught with a list of all the employees of a secret Russian state agency.
Mr Whelan gave a 15 minute speech at the preliminary hearing in Moscow denying all guilt, however details of what he said have not been released.
Russian and human rights experts say that Whelan's lawyer was likely picked out by the FSB who arrested him for spying on December 28.
Paul Whelan stands in the dock at the preliminary hearing in Moscow, his lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov stands to his right beside an interpreter
At the closed court session Whelan gave a 15 minute speech to the judge denying the charges against him in detail
Whelan cranes his neck to listen to the interpreter as his lawyer speaks to him at the preliminary hearing
Wehlan, who wore a shirt and chinos at the hearing, was described as calm but sombre throughout
It is believed the Russians are angling for an exchange deal with Maria Butina, 29, who was jailed last month after pleading guilty as an agent to influence conservative groups, particularly the gun-rights movement, in the United States.
Whelan, who has dual British-American citizenship, is being held in the notorious Lefortovo jail, a former KGB prison in the Russian capital.
He was accosted at the Metropol hotel last month, an historic art nouveau building two miles from the Kremlin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Whelan was 'caught red-handed.'
Maria Butina, 29, was jailed last month after pleading to guilty as an agent to influence conservative groups in the United States during the 2016 presidential campaign, it is thought the Kremlin want a swap deal with Whelan
Whelan has now been in custody for almost a month after he was hauled away from the Metropol hotel
Whelan stands in the dock, speaking to his lawyer through an interpreter, while a member of the security forces stands with a mask on nearby
Whelan appears expressionless as he looks through the glass in conversation with his lawyer
Zherebenkov, Whelan's lawyer, told reporters on Tuesday that his client had unknowingly accepted secret information from someone.
'Paul was actually meant to receive information from an individual that was not classified,' said Zherebenkov.
'These were cultural things, a trip to a cathedral, Paul's holiday...photographs. But as it turned out, it contained classified information.'
The lawyer said Whelan had not been able to see what was on the thumb drive because he had been detained before he had a chance to do so.
Zherebenkov, a former Soviet investigator, previously revealed to the Daily Beast it was his aim to bring home 'at least one Russian soul.'
Whelan appeared in a Moscow court on Tuesday where a judge rejected a request for him to be let out on bail.
Wearing a blue shirt and dark trousers, he looked calm but sombre as he stood inside a glass courtroom cage.
Zherebenkov (pictured) told reporters on Tuesday that his client had unknowingly accepted secret information from someone.
Zherebenkov told reporters outside the court that he gave a lengthy speech to the judge denying his guilt in detail
The Whelan family say that the former US Marine was visiting Moscow for the wedding of a friend and deny all of the espionage charges against him
The former US Marine previously complained about his being held at the infamous KGB jail Lefortovo (pictured) is unwarranted
The court session was closed to reporters, but his lawyer said afterwards that in Whelan's speech to the judge he denied at length the allegations against him.
The lawyer declined to clarify if Whelan knew the individual who handed him the secret information.
Whelan's family say he was visiting Moscow for the wedding of a retired Marine and is innocent of the espionage charges against him.
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https://hienalouca.com/2019/01/22/lawyer-of-former-us-marine-claims-he-admits-he-was-handed-secret-information-on-thumb-drive/
Main photo article The state-appointed lawyer of a former US Marine accused of spying by the Kremlin has today told a court that his client admits possession of state secrets.
Vladimir Zherebenkov, said Paul Whelan, 48, was handed a thumb drive he thought contained holiday photographs, ‘cultural...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
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