Azerbaijani Citizens Detained for Spying in the U.S.?

Among 11 people arrested in the U.S. for espionage, there are both ethnic Azerbaijanis and citizens of our country. This information can be obtained from the international press.

Those called Azerbaijani citizens are Sevinj Tagiyeva, Alexander Fishchenko and Shaukat (Shovket) Abdullayeva. The former wife and daughter of another detainee - Posobilov - live in Azerbaijan at present, and he also has Azeri and Russian citizenship.

The detainees are accused of illegal export of U.S. microelectronics into Russia and were arrested in Houston on October 2. They are charged with criminal conspiracy and violation of the law prohibiting the export of high-tech equipment from the United States without a license for a total of about $ 50 million.

The exported equipment was intended for new combat aircraft MiG-35 and the development of new submarines.

The U.S. investigators followed the electronic correspondence of these individuals and listened to their phone conversations for three years.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has not commented on the situation, but we know that the embassy in Washington has been instructed to clarify this situation and find out whether or not these persons are citizens of Azerbaijan. -02D-