Interpol to review Kross complaint

Photo: Toomas Huik, Peeter Langovits

On Thursday, next week, Interpol will review the case of Eerik-Niiles Kross, adviser to Estonia’s minister of defence Urmas Reinsalu. The event was preceded by the minister’s sudden telephone call to Jordan.

The committee confirming or rejecting such search notices consists of five members: an Irishman (chairman of the committee), a Canadian, a Frenchman, a representative of Mauritius, and a Turk. The same countries will be represented as discussed the Kross case the last time, with one exception: the representative of Jordan has been replaced by a person from Turkey.

To Postimees’ knowledge, defence minister Urmas Reinsalu – boss of Mr Kross and party comrade in IRL – last week called Estonian honorary consul in Jordan, Ayman Shafik Jumean; among other things, they also discussed the Mr Kross and Interpol topic.  Allegedly, Mr Reinsalu was interested in how to find the Jordanian who participated, at Interpol, in the discussions over publishing Mr Kross’ search notice.

While commenting the phone call, Mr Reinsalu remains tongue-tied. Admitting having talked with the honorary consul, he calls it «information exchange». The minister underlines that he has in no way communicated with any of the Interpol committee members. Thus, we may only speculate what exactly the defence minister talked about, with the honorary consul, in context of Mr Kross’ case.

Jordan’s representative having belonged to the Interpol committee, maybe the minister just wanted to ask him whether he was willing to share his experience and explain how things are done, at Interpol, how to communicate with the committee and what needs to be considered.

Mr Kross is publicly listed as fugitive, via Interpol. He is being searched by Russia which links Mr Kross with the bunch of pirates who seajacked the cargo ship Arctic Sea. Mr Kross denies guilt and considers search notice by Russia to be political.

Regarding the Arctic Sea seajacking case, Aleksei Kertsgur – a citizen of Latvia, Georgia and Israel – is also publicly searched via Interpol.