[AicapAifap] Fwd: Google Alert - Canadians incarcerated in the U.S.

Thu Jan 3 14:43:11 PST 2019

American arrested in Russia as a spy is innocent, brother in Canada
says     

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 Paul Whelan's brother in Newmarket, Ont., says ex-marine was in
Moscow to attend a weddingThe Associated Press · Posted: Jan 01, 2019
11:30 AM ET | Last Updated: January 1Paul  Whelan, a U.S. citizen, was
arrested on espionage charges in Moscow on  Friday. His brother told
CBC News on Tuesday the retired marine was  visiting the country to
attend a wedding. (Submitted by David Whelan)

	Paul  Whelan, a former U.S. marine arrested in Russia on espionage
charges,  was visiting Moscow over the holidays to attend a wedding
when he  suddenly disappeared, his brother said Tuesday.

	Whelan, 48, who is  head of global security for a Michigan-based auto
parts supplier, was  arrested on Friday. In announcing the arrest
three days later, the  Russian Federal Security Service said he was
caught "during an espionage  operation," but gave no details.

	The Russian spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

	Paul's twin brother, David Whelan, who lives in Newmarket, Ont., told
CBC News the allegations don't ring true to him.

	"He  has a background in law enforcement and is a marine and travels 
regularly ... he's not the sort of person who stumbles into a strange 
environment or makes poor choices that could cause him risks," David 
Whelan said. David  Whelan says his family has been in contact with
U.S. Embassy officials,  but there is little information about the
status of his brother.  (Talia Ricci/CBC)

	The  morning of his arrest, Paul Whelan — who had been to Russia
several  times previously — took a group of wedding guests on a tour
of the  Kremlin museums, his brother said. David Whelan said the last
time  anyone heard from the ex-marine was at about 5 p.m. and then he
failed  to show up that evening for the wedding.

	David Whelan would not comment on why he thought Russia had taken his
brother into custody.

	"I  think it's too complicated to come up with a simple answer. I
think  there are many reasons and it could be completely arbitrary.
Our goal is  to get him home," he said.No contact with family

	David  Whelan said his family has been in contact with U.S. Embassy
officials,  but there is little information on his brother's status
until a 72-hour  blackout period lapses and they can have access to
him.

	He said the family intends to contact U.S. officials in Paul's home
state of Michigan.

	David  Whelan also said his brother, a U.S. citizen, previously held
Canadian  citizenship, but he was unaware whether he remains a citizen
of Canada.  He said the family has not been contacted by the Canadian
government.

	_Watch David Whelan speak to CBC News Network about his brother's
arrest:_                   
	                                     CBC News         American
arrested for espionage in Russia is innocent, brother says     
	                                       00:00                 04:10   

	                         Paul Whelan, a retired  marine, was arrested
in Russia during an 'espionage operation,' but his  twin brother David
says the allegations don't ring true. 4:10

	Paul  Whelan was born in Ottawa in 1970, but moved to the United
States in  the early '70s and has lived there ever since, his brother
said.

	He  did multiple tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps, his
brother  said. He now lives in Novi, Mich., and is director of global
security  for BorgWarner, where he has worked since early 2017.

	"He is  responsible for overseeing security at our facilities in
Auburn Hills,  Mich., and at other company locations around the
world," BorgWarner  spokesperson Kathy Graham said in a statement. She
said the company does  not have any facilities in Russia.

	Paul Whelan previously worked for Kelly Services, which does maintain
offices in Russia, his brother said.'His innocence is undoubted'

	In a statement posted to David Whelan's Twitter account, the family
said they were worried about Paul.

	"We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being," the
statement said.

	"His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be
respected."

	It said the family last heard from Paul on Friday, "which was very
much out of character for him, even when he was travelling."

	The Russian spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20
years.Paul Whelan, centre, was born in Ottawa but in the 1970s moved
to the United States, where he has lived ever since. (Submitted by
David Whelan)

	The  U.S. State Department said Monday it had received formal
notification  from the Russian Foreign Ministry of the arrest and was
pushing for  consular access. The department did not identify Whelan
at the time or  provide any information about the case, citing
"privacy considerations."

	The arrest comes as U.S.-Russian ties are severely strained, in part
over Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

	A  Russian gun-rights activist, Maria Butina, is in U.S. custody
after  admitting she acted as a secret agent for the Kremlin in trying
to  infiltrate conservative U.S. political groups as Donald Trump was 
seeking the presidency.

	*Russian Maria Butina convicted of conspiracy related to lobbying
activities in U.S.
	She pleaded guilty in December to a conspiracy charge as part of a
deal with federal prosecutors.

	Russian  President Vladimir Putin has claimed the case is fabricated
and Butina  entered the guilty plea because of the threat of a long
prison sentence.

	With files from CBC News

	https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-arrested-in-russia-as-a-spy-is-innocent-brother-in-canada-says-1.4962770

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