THE JUSTICE minister and police yesterday shifted blame for the disappearance of the alleged Russian spy wanted by the US on charges of money laundering and acting as an unlawful foreign agent onto the Larnaca court judge who granted him bail.
Christopher Robert Metsos, 54, was arrested three days ago based on an international arrest warrant for crimes allegedly committed in the US over a number of years. The question now on most people’s lips is how did he get away?
The US has accused Metsos of being spymaster of a “deep cover” Russian spy ring in the US, with ten of the ring already arrested in the US last Monday.
Metsos, a Canadian passport holder was stopped from leaving Larnaca airport early on Tuesday, based on an Interpol red notice. By midday, to the great dismay of the police, he was set free after paying €26,500 bail and handing in his travel documents, on the condition that he presented himself at Larnaca police station every evening.
The decision was viewed by many observers as highly bizarre since any foreign suspect is almost automatically considered a flight risk, given the ease with which one can cross to the north or take a boat to any neighbouring country. When the foreigner in question is an alleged spy, the risk of disappearance is even more evident.
On just his second night as a freed man, Metsos kept the local and international media waiting indefinitely outside the police station, failing to show up for his daily registration.
At a press conference yesterday, police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said there was no clear indication he has left the Cyprus Republic or escaped the country via the occupied north, though all scenarios are still open, including that he left the through crossing points not controlled by the Republic, such as those in the British Bases.
Katsounotos said from the moment he violated the court order, and police found that his apartment had been cleared of his belongings, “orders were given to increase measures at entry and exit points of the Republic” as well as at crossing points to the north, while his photograph was distributed widely.
Asked why this was not done earlier, since the prosecution had already noted at Tuesday’s hearing that he was a high flight risk, the spokesman said police took all appropriate measures. , noting that by law they could not make his photograph public or distribute it unless there was a court order for his arrest. “From the moment he was released, for us he stopped being a person placed under restrictions and any measures were limited by objective difficulties.”
While acknowledging that Metsos was placed under “discreet surveillance”, he argued any efforts to ensure he would not leave the Republic “could not reach the level of violating his personal life”.
Of course this does not rule out other interested parties, from other agencies, keeping tabs on the whereabouts of Metsos, depending on how valuable an asset he is considered, though whether this took place or not will never likely be made public.
“On the part of the police, everything possible was done. We found the suspect, arrested him and took him to court. In its wisdom, the court decided to release him with restrictions imposed,” said Katsounotos, noting that no one was beyond criticism.
Asked to elaborate, he said: “Yes, we disagree with the court’s decision and we can’t hide it. From the moment the prosecution put before the court this possibility, that there was a risk the suspect could escape the control of the authorities of the Cyprus Republic and not be detected, it appears the restrictive measures imposed by the court did not bear fruit.”
Justice Minister Loucas Louca shared this view, telling reporters yesterday that “a judge ruled, perhaps he took the wrong decision”, adding this was something which happens many times.
The minister appeared more optimistic, at least in public, on locating the runaway spy and avoiding a diplomatic embarrassment, saying “we have some information and we hope to arrest him soon”.
Both Louca and Katsounotos said neither had been in contact with the US authorities to discuss the matter. However, US ambassador to Cyprus, Frank Urbancic met with President Demetris Christofias yesterday at the Presidential Palace. No statements were made after the meeting.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters “We are disappointed that Christopher Metsos was released on bail following his arrest in Cyprus.”
“As we had feared, having been given, unnecessarily, the chance to flee, he did so,” Crowley said.
The handling of the issue did not go unnoticed by the House. Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, Ionas Nicolaou, accused the courts and prosecution of “once again leaving us exposed”.
He noted that it wasn’t the first time a remand order was not issued against a person wanted for extradition who got away. “We had a similar case in the past, again with spies, that time Russia had requested the extradition. This time it was by the US. Unfortunately, such situations create problems and leave the state exposed.”
Nicolaou questioned whether the prosecution had failed to present its case well at court or whether the court failed to predict that a spy could escape.
Regarding the ten other suspects facing charges in the US, Russian Ambassador to Cyprus
Vyacheslav Shumskiy said Russia has “acknowledged that those arrested are Russian citizens”.
He added, however, that the ten “have not committed any offence in terms of violating immigration regulations or anything of the sort”.
Meanwhile, police are calling on anyone with information on Metsos’ whereabouts to contact Larnaca CID, their nearest police station or the citizen’s hotline on1460.
