Turkmenistan unmasks French spies

Spokesmen of Turkmen National Security Ministry said investigators spotted a spy network when probing into the attempted murder of Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov, which dates back to November 2002.

Turkmen National Security Minister Geldymukhammed Ashirmukhammedov reported Monday another achievement in strengthening the national safety of the country. The minister made his statement at the meeting hosted by President Saparmurat Niyazov and broadcasted by TV.

Former teacher of geography, Annakurban Amangylydzhov, 35, was a spy, the chief of Security Ministry said, emphasizing that investigators focused on him, when probing into the attempted murder of Turkmen president.

In October 2005, Amangylydzhov accompanied for remuneration a U.K. citizen, "who was collecting clearly provocative data," the minister said. "In March of 2006, in the port of Turkmenbashi's city (former Krasnovodsk), he met a citizen of the U.K. and a citizen of France, who arrived by ferry from Baku."

"In two days the foreigners went to Tashkent, promising to carry over the secret video equipment once their work was completed. He got the above video facilities from Enri Tomassini, the cultural adviser at French embassy in Turkmenia. Besides, another citizen of France, OSCE employee Benjamin Moro was also involved in the case."

Amangylydzhov was detained June 17, when collecting the data in Ashkhabad, the minister said, making clear the spying network was broken.

/www.kommersant.com/