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The Latest US-Led Western Russia Bashing Episode. Alleged Hacking of OPCW
By Stephen Lendman
Global Research, October 05, 2018

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-latest-us-led-western-russia-bashing-episode-alleged-hacking-of-opcw/5656178
OPCW

 

The Trump regime’s DOJ falsely claimed seven alleged Russian intelligence officers hacked the OPCW and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Assistant AG for national security John Demers announced the indictment “for malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies” along with cyberattacking a Swiss lab and other charges.

US Attorney for Western Pennsylvania Scott Brady claimed

“(t)hey targeted Westinghouse, a nuclear power company based in Pittsburgh…that supplie(s) nuclear fuel to the Ukraine.”

Demers and Brady presented no evidence backing their accusations. None exists to reveal. Charges without it are baseless.

Fabricated accusations against Russian nationals include cyberattacks, fraud, theft of personal data, and money laundering, Demers adding:

“This indictment alleges a conspiracy to use computer hacking to obtain non-public, personal health information about athletes and others in the files of anti-doping agencies and sporting federations in multiple countries.”

Canada joined the latest Russia bashing chorus, falsely claiming “a series of malicious cyber operations by the Russian military” was exposed…part of a broader pattern of activities by the Russian government (occurring) outside the bounds of appropriate behavior, (demonstrating) a disregard for international law…undermining the rules-based international order.”

The Netherlands earlier expelled four Russian nationals for allegedly targeting the OPCW.

On Thursday, Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld claimed the alleged operation was foiled last April, further claiming the alleged suspects photographed areas around the OPCW in the Hague with intent to hack the organization’s wifi network for information pertaining to its Skripal incident investigation.

UK envoy to the Netherlands Peter Wilson claimed Moscow targeted Britain’s Foreign Office and Porton Down Defense and Science Laboratory.

UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt accused Moscow of “reckless and indiscriminate” cyberattacks globally, suggesting more (unlawful) sanctions on the Kremlin are coming.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said

Western “spy mania is gaining momentum. Russia’s official commentary will follow soon.”

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the new accusations “(a) new wave of fake news, accusations and statements at different levels,” adding:

“(T)he British Foreign Office, which as it turns out now is specializing on security issues in the sphere of IT technologies, recently came up with a series of mind-boggling statements in their ‘highly-likely’ fashion on the involvement of the so-called GRU (Military Intelligence Service) in cyber attacks around the globe, even against WADA’s servers.”

“Without any analysis whatsoever we see that everything – the GRU, cyber spies, Kremlin hackers, WADA – has been poured and mixed into a single bottle of perfume, perhaps in a Nina Ricci bottle of perfume.”

“It is simply a hellish perfume mixture. Our British colleagues (sic) have a rich imagination that knows no boundaries.”

“I wish I can have a look at the one making all this up. They are simply the ‘Andersens’ (referring to Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales).

“Perhaps they judge by themselves and describe what they themselves do, but this is totally unbecoming of a country, which claims to be playing one of the leading roles in the world.”

Russia’s embassy in London called UK accusations “crude disinformation in the eyes of British and world public opinion,” adding:

“As usual…irresponsible (accusations fail) to be substantiated by any evidence and is another element in the anti-Russian crusade executed by the British government” – in cahoots with Trump regime hardliners.

This not by chance that it coincides with the meeting of NATO defense chiefs in Brussels and the announcement of the creation of cyber units in the armed forces of some Western countries.”

US-installed NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance “stand(s) in solidarity with the decision by the (US), Dutch and British governments to call out Russia on its blatant attempts to undermine international law and institutions” – despite no evidence suggesting it.

On October 3 and 4, NATO defense ministers met in Brussels. Russia was falsely accused of “continued instability, (posing) a serious risk to our security.”

Alleged threats facing alliance member are invented.

 

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article.