Estonian security police chief: Puusepp's claims are partially true

Photo: NTV ekraanipilt

According to director general of the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) Arnold Sinisalu, claims of former employee of the ISS and ex-KGB officer Uno Puusepp on a Russian television programme are at least partially true, the national broadcaster ERR reports.

One concrete claim concerned a house in Aegviidu in northern Estonia through which ran an optical cable which was used as «an encoded diplomatic connection from the Russian embassy». According to Puusepp in the course of a joint operation of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA) and the ISS special equipment was set up there to track the data communication. But according to Puusepp he notified Russia about that and the channel was closed.

«I can confirm that yes, there was such an operation but I unfortunately can't say more. The content and aim of it are still a secret. It can be said afterwards that he probably interrupted it,» Sinisalu said speaking on the Kahekone (Dialogue) talk show of ETV.

According to Sinisalu the television show shown on the Russian NTV television channel broke one of the basic work principles of security institutions. He added that he won't be doing such a thing and expressed hope that his successors won't do it either. According to Sinisalu the aim of the show was to cause havoc.

At the same time the show made the work of the ISS easier since some questions were answered, he added.

According to Puusepp he handed out information which made it possible to interrupt the actions of the secret services of the U.S., Sweden, the U.K. and several other countries against Russia.

The Russian television channel NTV claimed last week that Puusepp worked for years for the Russian security service FSB.

The ISS and the Public Prosecutor's Office have opened a criminal investigation under treason provisions of the Penal Code to verify the allegations.

Puusepp was employed by the ISS as a technical specialist from Nov. 13, 1991 to April 8, 2011, when he retired and moved to Moscow.