Iran-born brothers charged in Sweden with spying for Russia

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https://apnews.com/article/iran-middle-east-business-crime-espionage-3550c806ddc1c144bce73856ecee7d7a

Iran-born brothers charged in Sweden with spying for Russia
By JAN M. OLSEN
November 11, 2022

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Two Iranian-born brothers were charged in Sweden with aggravated espionage for allegedly spying for Russia and its military intelligence service GRU for around a decade, prosecutors said Friday. One of the men worked for Sweden’s domestic intelligence agency.

Authorities identified them as Peyman Kia, 42, and Payam Kia, 35. One of the brothers was also indicted for the alleged gross unauthorized handling of secret information. It wasn’t immediately clear which of them it was.

“It has been a complex investigation concerning a crime that is very difficult to investigate and the suspicion concerns very serious criminality directed against Sweden’s intelligence and security system,” National Security Unit chief prosecutor Per Lindqvist said.

“The information that has been obtained, transmitted and divulged could, by the fact that if it comes into the hands of a foreign power, result in detriment to Sweden’s security,” Lindqvist said in a statement.

He later told The Associated Press that the case involved “extremely sensitive topics,” but declined to elaborate.

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In addition to the intelligence reports they regularly stole, they gave Russia a "complete personnel list" of the Swedish Security Service, the agency responsible for counter espionage