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Ex-spy accused of aiding Russia spy ops
23 Jan
Summary
- Former Austrian intelligence officer Ott is accused of helping Russia find opponents.
- He allegedly sold government phones and laptops to fugitive Jan Marsalek.
- Ott denies charges, claiming he acted under orders from a superior.
Egisto Ott, a former Austrian intelligence officer, has gone on trial accused of assisting Russian intelligence operations. Prosecutors allege that the 63-year-old, who denies the charges, aided Russia in tracking down dissidents and provided secure communication devices to fugitive former Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek.
The trial, considered Austria's most significant espionage case in years, could reveal details about Russian intelligence activities within Europe. Ott is accused of unauthorized database searches to locate individuals like former Russian agent Dmitry Senin. His defense claims these searches were conducted under orders for an allied agency, not Russia.
Prosecutors also allege Ott provided journalist Christo Grozev's Vienna address to Marsalek, leading to a break-in and Grozev relocating for safety. Ott claims he sought to discuss Bellingcat's findings with Grozev. Marsalek, the former COO of Wirecard, remains at large and is believed to be in Russia.
