Germany Suspects Russian Physicist of Spying, Der Spiegel Reports

lt;pgt;Germany#039;s federal prosecution suspects a Russian physicist of spying on Germany, sending confidential research information to the Russian secret service, according to the latest edition of German weekly news magazine lt;emgt;lt;a href=quot;https://magazin.spiegel.de/digital/?utm_source=sponutm_campaign=inhaltsverzeichnis#SP/2015/31/137324502quot; rel=quot;nofollowquot;gt;Der Spiegellt;/agt;lt;/emgt;.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;The man, identified by the magazine as 28-year old Ivan A., specialized in quantum optics and nanophotonics at the Max Planck Institute in the city of Bonn for an undetermined period of time between 2009 and 2011. In 2013 he moved to the Netherlands to study in Eindhoven#039;s Technical University (TU).lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;Germany#039;s intelligence services monitored the scientist, whose research focused on the behaviour of light in a wide range of conditions and who participated in the development of fast quantum computers.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;Authorities grew suspicious of Ivan A#039;s activities after he began holding regular meetings with a Russian diplomatic working at Moscow#039;s consulate in Bonn, who had been identified as a Russian foreign intelligence officer by German intelligence.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;Ivan was detained in 2014 while with his wife at Düsseldorf airport, according to the report. His laptop, mobile phone and even ebook reader, were seized as he was questioned. He was released shortly after. His photo and fingerprints were taken and an espionage investigation was opened against him.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;After arriving back in Eindhoven, Ivan#039;s schengen visa was rescinded by the Dutch government who deemed him a threat to national security, lt;emgt;Der Spiegellt;/emgt; said. He has since returned to Moscow and continues to deny accusations of spying.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;In an unrelated but similar caselt;emgt; lt;a href=quot;http://www.dw.com/en/germany-frees-russian-spy/a-18080455quot; rel=quot;nofollowquot;gt;Deutsche Wellelt;/agt;lt;/emgt; reports that last year another alleged Russian spy was allowed to go to Moscow from Germany after she had been arrested alongside her husband in 2011 for listening to encrypted messages and transmitting sensitive data to officials in the Bonn consulate.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;Both were found guilty of spying in 2013 but lt;emgt;Deutsche Wellelt;/emgt; reports that the woman was deported back to Russia after serving only around a year in jail.lt;/pgt; lt;pgt;The German Interior Ministry was not immediately available to confirm or deny either case.lt;/pgt;