US Citizen Jailed as Spy by Russian CourtA Russian court sentenced U.S. citizen Edmond Pope to 20 years in jail on Wednesday as a spy, raising a storm of outrage in Washington and casting a shadow over U.S.- Russian relations.Edmond Pope would be the first Westerner convicted of spying in Russia since the darkest days of the Cold War. In a last emotional plea before the verdict was handed down, Pope, a 54-year-old former naval intelligence officer, denied he was a spy and asked for his freedom. Pope had visited Russia more than 20 times over eight years doing research into civilian uses of military technology, first with the University of Pennsylvania and later his own firm. He was accused of stealing secret designs for a high-speed Russian torpedo. |
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