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FT 05 JUL 94 / FBI in business in Moscow
By JOHN LLOYD
The director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mr Louis Freeh,
yesterday opened a representative office in Moscow and appealed to the
Russian authorities to combat crime before it overwhelmed them.
Mr Freeh told an audience of interior ministry police officers that Russian
organised crime represented 'a threat to world security'.
The FBI chief, on a 10-day tour of eastern Europe, told a packed hall at the
interior ministry police academy that the fact that Russian crime groups
could 'use their existing and expanding criminal networks to exploit weapons
grade radioactive materials is sufficient to warrant international concern
and action'.
Though his speech was a model of diplomatic balance, he stressed the many
mistakes made by US law enforcement agencies in the original response to the
growth of organised crime which 'permitted the expansion of a powerful,
well-organised crime syndicate'. However, he stressed the need to tackle
urgently the Russian problem - now being internationalised.
As well as the 'significant threat . . . of a catastrophic attack' by
criminals armed with nuclear weapons, Mr Freeh stressed:
The potential of crime gangs 'to ultimately retard Russia's economic
development and precipitate the flight of legitimate capital';
The ability of the gangs to 'launder' money from Russia through banks in the
US - 'a potentially corrupting influence on the banking industries in Russia
and the US'.
The threat posed to the Russian state by the growing and ruthless power of
the gangs. Quoting President Boris Yeltsin, Mr Freeh said that 'organised
crime is trying to take the country by the throat'.
The use of Russia as a transhipment point for drug traffic - especially by
the Colombian drug cartels.
However, Mr Freeh insisted that the 'law enforcement response to this
criminal threat must be 'consistent with the fundamental principles of
justice'.
Countries:-
RUZ Russia, East Europe.
Industries:-
P9711 National Security.
Types:-
RES Facilities.
The Financial Times
International Page 2