Estonia Spy Case Rattles Nerves at NATO

By ELLEN BARRY
NYT

TALLINN, Estonia — As an independent state emerged here after 47 years of Soviet rule, a jovial, meticulous police official named Herman Simm was promoted again and again. By 2001, he occupied a post that satisfied his fascination with secrets: As chief of the National Security Authority, his job was to secure all classified communication between Estonia and its allies.

And prosecutors say they have established why he was so interested in secrets: They believe he was passing information to an undercover agent for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. The contact is identified in documents as “Jesus” and is likely to be a citizen of Portugal, said Mr. Simm’s defense lawyer, Owe Ladva.

Though the authorities have not said when they believe the spying began, Mr. Simm was in place during a critical period, from 2001 to 2006, as Estonia became a member of NATO and Moscow’s frustration at the Western military alliance grew into a hostile standoff. He was arrested in September on suspicion of treason.

The case has unnerved NATO as it prepares to integrate more Eastern European nations once in the grip of Soviet security services. It is a serious blow to Estonia, which has made challenging Russia a central aspect of its political identity. And throughout the region, it has stirred up fears that Russian intelligence networks may survive, in dormant form, even at the highest levels of government.

(More here.)