from http://www.herald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=147531&thesection=news&thesubsection=world Diana anti-mine charity accused of spying 12.08.2000 - MOSCOW - Russia's FSB domestic security service has accused a British anti-landmine charity of teaching Chechen rebels explosives techniques and of spying on Moscow's military. The allegations, which came two days after a bomb killed eight people in a Moscow underpass, were denied by the Halo Trust mine clearance agency, which dubbed them a smear campaign. The trust is linked to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who started her campaign against landmines in Angola in 1997. A photo of Diana posing for the world's media wearing Halo Trust protective gear became an enduring image of her following her death in a car crash that same year. Some officials have blamed the Moscow bomb on Chechen rebels. The FSB, a successor body to the Soviet-era KGB, said it had "reliable information about the training of mine and explosives experts for armed groups of international terrorists in Chechnya." "One group which is secretly carrying out such operations inside Russia is the international non-governmental organisation, the Halo Trust." The FSB said the trust held courses to train "specialists in mines and explosives" inside rebel Chechnya on Russia's southern rim, and harboured British secret agents. But the charity's director, Guy Willoughby, said the allegations were "a straightforward smear campaign, frankly," "If [the FSB] is trying to link Halo Trust training humanitarian mine clearance to bombs being made, then that's just sad, really; it's stupid." The FSB said it had found 15 Halo Trust workers inside Chechnya last November when searching for rebels as part of its now 11-month-old war against separatist guerrillas in the region. "We have information that most of them are members of various British military structures and the leader, Matthew Middlemiss, is a staff military spy," the FSB said, adding that it was holding an unspecified number of the charity's workers. Willoughby said Middlemiss had worked for the trust briefly but left in 1996. "He has never ever been to Chechnya, nor has he had anything to do with any Halo Trust programme in Chechnya." Willoughby said he had no knowledge of any of the trust's workers being detained. Some staff had formerly worked in the military, but accusations that they gathered military intelligence were untrue. He also denied the possibility of Chechens applying mine clearance training to mine laying. Mine clearers were taught to find the mines and blow them up. "You could say you gain knowledge [of explosives] but it would be a bit like saying that by training someone to pass their driving test, you're training them to be a getaway driver in an armed robbery." Halo said it did not work in Chechnya now and only did so with proper Russian visas and documentation. - REUTERS --- Move to a better address --- + today freemail + http://www.today.com.au <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
