Russian Scientist May Have Tried to Smuggle Out Biological Weapons Material (Typhus)

AP Via Foxnews ^ | 9-14-07

[shirtlesszacefron]

Security agents are investigating a Russian scientist for allegedly trying to smuggle out of Russia materials that could be used in building a biological or bacteriological weapon, the scientist and his co-workers said Friday.

Oleg Mediannikov is the latest in a growing number of academics and scientists who have been targeted by Russia's main security agency, the Federal Security Service, for allegedly misusing classified information, revealing state secrets or, in some cases, espionage.

Mediannikov, a biologist at Moscow's Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, told The Associated Press that he was traveling to France in December to bring vials of a non-dangerous typhoid vaccine to colleagues when he was stopped by customs officials at Sheremyetevo Airport.

The samples were confiscated and sent to a government laboratory for testing, but Mediannikov said he was allowed to travel to Marseilles, then returned to Moscow without further incident.

In February, as he tried to travel to Africa on a tourist trip, he said he was denied permission to leave at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport. His passport

[shirtlesszacefron]

I like this quote--
"..he was under investigation for smuggling materials that might be used for preparing weapons of mass destruction — a charge he said could result, if convicted, in a sentence up to seven years in prison. "

[Red Badger]

Going to Africa with Typhus?..............I thought that’s what you came back from Africa with?.............

[rfp1234]

This may be a legitimate allegation, or a Putin-generated smear. Too soon to tell, let’s see what develops.

[curmudgeonII]

This guy probably needed to communicate with somebody who knew a modicum of epidemiology. Where is he going to come up with the lice which is how typhus is spread?