Military counterintelligence did not notice traitors - expert

Baku / 08.05.17 / Turan: Mutual reconnaissance activity of Azerbaijan and Armenia against each other is a natural thing. However, the peculiarity of the current situation is the mass involvement of those involved," said former intelligence officer Ilham Ismail in an interview with Turan, commenting on the announcement of the arrest of a group of servicemen and civilians working for Armenian intelligence.

"The number of involved is large, more than 40 people. This is an indicator of how much the work of counterintelligence agents was launched. According to some reports, Armenian scouts, with the help of traitors, disguised themselves in the Azerbaijani military uniform, visited our district centers," Ismail said.

Traitors were recruited with money, and then with compromising materials and blackmail, the expert said. In his opinion, at this stage, the cooperation was of an informational nature. In the future, the goal was to use intelligence for sabotage, he said.

Ismail laid the blame for such failures on the Office of Military Surveillance of the former MNS.

"Unfortunately, during the time of the former head of the MNS Eldar Mahmudov, along with other structures, this administration (counterintelligence) was also destroyed.

Eyes were closed to the negative phenomena in the military units, bribes were taken and counter-intelligence work was not conducted, which ultimately became the logical end of the current situation, "Ismail said.

When asked what steps to take, the expert said that it is necessary to change the places of service of officers, ensigns and even contract soldiers on the front line. New people should be sent to the front line. Military counterintelligence should rebuild its work, Ismail said.

In his opinion, it is also necessary to update the leadership of military counterintelligence by competent persons and cadres.

"I believe that work is being done in this direction. The new leadership of the State Security Service pays serious attention to this issue," Ismail summed up. -03B-