Russia Grants Consular Access to Detained US Citizen Whelan - Foreign Ministry
Russia has provided consular access to US citizen Paul Whelan, detained in Russia over suspicions of espionage, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd January, 2019) Russia has provided consular access to US citizen Paul Whelan, detained in Russia over suspicions of espionage, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"The Russian side has granted consular access to the US side to US citizen Paul Whelan," the ministry said.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said it arrested Whelan on December 28 during a "spy act in Moscow," and has opened a criminal investigation over possible espionage.
US media has reported that the 48-year-old is the director of global security for the Michigan-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner, and previously served in Iraq with the US Marine Corps.
According to media reports, Whelan went to Moscow to attend a friend's wedding, but never arrived at the event.