The arrest and trial was the biggest European spy drama since 1974
when West German chancellor Willy Brandt was forced to resign after his closest aide, Günter Guillaume, was found to have been spying for communist East Germany.Article content
The classified documents he planned to hand over to KGB agent Gennadi Titov in Vienna included notes when he was an adviser to the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations in New York during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The paperwork featured briefings involving U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and British Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington.
The presiding judge at his trial, Astri Rynning, said that showed Mr. Treholt had “unreasonable and unrealistic ideas about his own importance.” The prosecution suggested blackmail may have played a role in the case, since the KGB had taken photographs of Mr. Treholt during a sex orgy in Moscow in 1975. But the accused, while not denying the photos existed, insisted they played no role in his decision to give the Soviets information.
Mr. Treholt also owed his prominence to his marriage to Kari Storaekre, a popular Norwegian television personality. After his trial, she divorced him, and their 7-year-old son, Torstein, took her last name. Mr. Treholt was pardoned and released in 1992 after saying he was in bad health, but the decision was made easier by the breakup of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. He appealed unsuccessfully against his conviction and for a retrial.
It was widely believed that his outspoken views, including opposing Norwegian membership in NATO, protesting against the Greek military regime and marching against the Vietnam War, led to him being contacted by agents of the KGB in Norway. The Soviets viewed him as a left-wing idealist and anti-imperialist critic of U.S. policies who, because of his connections, was headed for a promising future as a political leader.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Arne Treholt, Norwegian official and Russian spy, dies at 80The arrest and trial was the biggest European spy drama since 1974
Read more »
Arne Treholt, Norwegian official and Russian spy, dies at 80The arrest and trial was the biggest European spy drama since 1974
Read more »
Russian pranksters call Merkel posing as Ukraine's ex-leaderRussian pranksters posing as Ukraine's ex-President Petro Poroshenko managed to contact Angela Merkel by phone to discuss developments in Ukraine and Belarus, although the former German chancellor appeared wary during the call.
Read more »
Biden makes surprise visit to Kyiv in show of support ahead of anniversary of Russian invasionU.S. President pledges an additional US$500-million in military aid to Ukraine as well as more sanctions targeting Russia
Read more »
Ukraine woman in iconic war photos recalls deadly Russian attack that almost blinded herPhotos of Olena Kurylo appeared around the world. Then Russia\u0027s propaganda machine kicked into action, claiming she didn’t exist.
Read more »
Russian defence chief keeps job thanks to Putin, despite Ukraine routsShoigu has held top jobs in Russia’s power structures continuously since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and served as emergencies minister under late president Boris Yeltsin
Read more »