(http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/130514-fsb-moscow.photoblog600.jpg)Maxim Marmur / AFP - Getty Images, fileThe headquarters of the Federal Security Service in Moscow.By Anna Nemtsova and Alastair Jamieson, NBC NewsMOSCOW -- An American diplomat was detained in Moscow on suspicion of trying to recruit a Russian intelligence official to work for the CIA, Russian officials said Tuesday.
The man was an employee at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, according to the country’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
He was carrying "special technical equipment'', a "large sum of money" and the "means for changing one's appearance," according to a FSB statement.
After being arrested late Monday night, the suspect was brought to the FSB's headquarters but was later taken to the U.S. Embassy.
Ambassador Michael McFaul was participating in a question-and-answer session on Twitter (https://twitter.com/McFaul) when the detention was announced. He was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry, according to The Associated Press.
The FSB released photographs of the American's arrest and his alleged credentials to Russia media outlets.
The U.S. has “repeatedly attempted to recruit employees of Russian law enforcement bodies and special departments” in recent times, the statement added.
America’s top intelligence official last month said Russia had been “very cooperative” with the U.S. (http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/30/17984668-us-intelligence-chief-orders-review-of-boston-marathon-case?lite) since the Boston Marathon bomb attack, for which one of the suspects is Russian citizen Tamerlan Tsarnaev. However, retired Gen. James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, also noted that “old habits die hard” and that some suspicion between between the two countries’ intelligence agencies, dating back decades, remains.
NBC News' Alastair Jamieson reported from London. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related:
Full Russia coverage from NBC News (http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/russia)
This story was originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 8:02 AM EDT
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