SPYING ORGANISATION

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1938, Page 4

SPYING ORGANISATION

OPERATIONS IN ITALY. ROME, January 28. A vast Soviet spying organisation, headed by a Russian engineer, who is reputed to be Stalin’s cousin, has been smashed by the Fascist Secret Police. The ringleader, Gregor Grigorieff, aged 40 years, was sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment, and thirteen other mem • bers of the organisation, one of whom is a Pole, were sentenced to from 10 to 20 years’ gaol. The gang had operated under cover of an official Russian delegation, with headquarters at Milan, for nearly two years. With huge bribes, in some cases more than £5OOO, Grigorieff purchased valuable military information. . He was arrested in May, 1937, after the arrests of suspects, who confessed. They signed documents, setting out that they had had relations “of a professional character” with the Russians Twelve Italians were among those arrested. Some were employees in responsible positions in factories, such as munition makers in the Breda, Ansaldo" and Fiat works. Diplomatic negotiations for the exchange of Grigorieff for one or more Italians held in Russia have heen under way for some time.