WASHINGTON – The chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence committee blasted the bumbling U.S. embassy worker — and accused CIA agent – who was arrested by the Russian FSB in Moscow carrying third-rate spy gear.
“I’m embarrassed by it,” Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who grilled Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on the bust in a classified hearing today, told The Post.
“I think the tradecraft is dreadful. To have anybody that represents us wandering around in that stupid wig with over $100,000 – we’re looking into it.”
The FSB, successor to the KGB, said yesterday Ryan Fogle was a spy trying to recruit a Russian counterterrorism officer to spill secrets for cash. The U.S. has been officially silent on Fogle’s role.
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Russian TV broadcast footage of Fogle’s arrest, along with an Austin Powers-type spy kit, including a pocket knife, compass, Moscow map, communications gear, and wads of $500 Euro notes, along with a recruitment letter.
Asked about the large amounts of cash Fogle was reportedly carrying, Feinstein responded, “For what – we’re going to look into it, you can be assured of that.”
Some former CIA officials have floated the idea that Fogle was set up with the props as part of an effort to embarrass the U.S.
Feinstein wasn’t buying this line. “That would be the best outcome,” she said, when asked about the bumbling set-up scenario.
Feinstein isn’t the only one knocking the spy tactics. An aide to Russian president Vladimir Putin called it an “extremely crude, clumsy attempt at recruitment.”
The Russians summoned the U.S. ambassador to the foreign ministry in Moscow in connection with the arrest today. Ambassador Michael McFaul left without comment.
Russian TV reported today that a second “CIA operative” got busted in January.
The Russian newspaper Kommersant reports that Fogle was trying to recruit a Russian agent who was an expert on Islamic extremists in order to get more information about the Tsarnaev brothers.