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Venezuela probes military officers for allegedly spying for US
 Via Kevin at Sgt. Stryker's Daily Brief.CARACAS (AFX) - Venezuela's government is investigating members of the armed forces for allegedly onpassing state secrets to the US military, officials said. The probe comes as state-run media reports claimed the US embassy in Caracas was also involved in the affair. There's a lot of he-said, she-said, along with statements by Presidente-in-charge-of-Vice Rangel... plus this: The vice president said the suspects included both active and retired members of the Venezuelan navy. The state-run regional Telesur television network claimed US naval attache John Correa had bribed the suspects, and armed forces Inspector General Melvin Lopez Hidalgo also tied US diplomatic staff to the probe. US Ambassador William Brownfield said Venezuelan authorities had not contacted him about the allegations. Local media said 25 people were under investigation and that a relative of one of them was arrested, while military authorities on Sunday apparently searched the residences of several of the suspects. Alonso Medina, a lawyer for one of the naval officers named as a suspect, said his client Plaza Lopez denied ever handing information to Correa, but said he knew the US official well as the two studied together in the US. Is this the part of the "revolution" where any military officers with any contacts whatsoever with the pre-revolutionary Venezuela's allies all get prosecuted for spying? When did the retirees referred to retire? Posted by: Phil 2006-01-30 |
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