By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : German Special Forces have detained a Russian husband-wife duo on charges of spying, reported Deutsche Welle, the country’s international broadcaster, Saturday.
The couple, who have not been named by authorities, are suspected of working for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). The married couple, who according to their documents are from Latin America but have Austrian passports, have denied the accusations, Deutsche Welle said.
According to the news agency, the woman was detained when she was “receiving a coded radio message”.
The couple is alleged to have been spying in Germany for more than 20 years, Der Spiegel magazine reported.
The couple caught the attention of German Special Forces after the CIA uncovered a Russian spy ring in the US last year.
Germany’s media outlet Focus reported the couple had contacted Anna Chapman, one of the 10 spies deported from the US last year. According to Focus, the couple is suspected of industrial espionage.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry and SVR have so far not confirmed or commented on the accusations regarding the couple in Germany. The Russian embassy in Berlin also could not confirm any information.