AP – Australia has quietly expelled a large Russian spy ring whose members were posing as diplomats, a newspaper reported yesterday after Australia’s main security agency revealed a major counterespionage success.
The spy ring comprised purported embassy and consular staff as well as other operatives using deep-cover identities, The Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the operation.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the nation’s main domestic spy agency, revealed on Tuesday it had “detected and disrupted a major spy network.” ASIO has not named the country responsible.
ASIO’s secretary-general of security Mike Burgess described the network as a “hive” of spies because it was bigger and more dangerous than a “nest” of spies previously disrupted.
Precise numbers have not been reported.
“Proxies and agents were recruited as part of a wider network. Among other malicious activities, they wanted to steal sensitive information,” Burgess said in ASIO’s annual report on threats posed to Australia.
