Notorious American double agent Robert Hanssen, who spied for Russia, dies in prison
One of the most notorious American double agents has died in prison.
Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent, was sentenced in 2002 to life behind bars after pleading guilty to spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia for over 20 years.
He had divulged information about US intelligence-gathering since at least 1985 and was believed to have been partly responsible for the deaths of at least three Soviet officers who were working for US intelligence and were executed after being exposed.
The 79-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell at a federal prison in Florence, Colorado, on Monday and was later pronounced dead, prison officials said.
He is believed to have died of natural causes, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Spy took more than $1.4m in cash and diamonds
Hanssen was paid more than $1.4m (£1.1m) in cash, bank funds, diamonds and Rolex watches in exchange for a wealth of highly classified national security information, including extensive detail about how US officials had tapped into Russian spy operations.
He did not adopt an obviously lavish lifestyle, instead living in a modest suburban home in Virginia with his family of six children.
He would later say he was motivated by money rather than ideology, but in a letter written to his Soviet handlers in 1985 he explained a large payoff could have caused complications because he could not spend it without setting off alarms.
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A court sketch of Robert Hanssen, centre, who was given a life sentence in 2002. Pic: AP
Traitor tipped off Moscow to secret American spy tunnel
Under the alias “Ramon Garcia”, Hanssen passed some 6,000 documents and 26 computer discs to his handlers, authorities said.
They detailed eavesdropping techniques, helped confirm the identity of Russian double agents and divulged other state secrets.
Officials also believe he tipped off Moscow to a secret tunnel the Americans had built under the Soviet embassy in Washington for eavesdropping.
Hanssen’s duplicity went undetected for years, but later investigations found several red flags had been missed.
He became the focus of a hunt for a Russian mole and was caught taping a rubbish bag full of secrets to the underside of a footbridge in a park in a “dead drop” for his Russian handlers.
His story was made into a film called Breach in 2007, starring Chris Cooper as Hanssen and Ryan Phillippe as a young bureau operative who helps to bring him down.
Children are among the fatalities in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.
Police said four people had died and 10 were wounded in the incident in Stockton, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.
Officers were called on Saturday to a banquet hall just before 6pm local time (2am UK time) and district attorney Ron Freitas said children were among the dead.
He said the attacker was still at large.
First responders walk through a parking lot near the scene of a mass shooting in Stockton, California. Pics: AP
“We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on X.
The post said early indications suggest it could be a “targeted incident” but that information remains limited.
Police have so far not disclosed the attacker’s identity and the motive is unclear.
Stockton’s vice mayor Jason Lee confirmed on Facebook that the shooting on Lucile Avenue happened at a child’s birthday party.
Pics: AP
Mayor Christina Fugazzi also said that “families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive”.
California governor Gavin Newsom’s office added that he had been briefed on the “horrific shooting”.
Venezuela has accused Donald Trump of a “colonial threat” after he said the airspace “above and surrounding” the country should be considered closed “in its entirety”.
Mr Trump made the declaration amid growing tensions with President Maduro – and as the US continues attacking boats it claims are carrying drugs from Venezuela.
He wrote on Truth Social: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
Air traffic above Venezuela on Saturday afternoon. Pic: FlightRadar24
Venezuela’s foreign affairs office called it a “colonial threat” and “illegal, and unjustified aggression”.
It accused the president of threatening “the sovereignty of the national airspace… and the full sovereignty of the Venezuelan state”.
President Trump’s words were part of a “permanent policy of aggression against our country” that breached international law and the UN Charter, it added.
The Pentagon and the White House have so far not given any additional detail on the president’s statement.
Mr Trump’s post comes after the American aviation regulator last week warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuela due to a “worsening security situation”.
Nicolas Maduro is widely considered a dictator by the West. Pic: Reuters
The South American nation revoked operating rights for six major airlines that went on to suspend flights to the country.
Mr Trump warned a few days ago that land operations against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers would begin “very soon”.
Such a move would be a major escalation in Operation Southern Spear – the US naval deployment in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific that’s so far attacked at least 21 vessels.
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Three killed as US strikes another alleged drug boat
Venezuela has said the attacks, which have killed more than 80 people, amount to murder.
The US has released videos of boats being targeted, but hasn’t provided evidence – such as photos of their cargo – to support the smuggling claims.
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Venezuela claims Trump creating ‘fables’ to justify ‘war’
The Pentagon has sought to justify the strikes by labelling the drug gangs as “foreign terrorist organisations” – putting them on par with the likes of al Qaeda.
It claims the boats targeted are carrying drugs bound for the US, although Sky’s chief correspondent says the final destination is likely to be Europe and West Africa.
President Maduro has denied Mr Trump’s claims he is involved in the drugs trade himself and said his counterpart wants to oust him so he can install a more sympathetic government.
Venezuelan officials have also claimed Mr Trump’s true motivation is access to the country’s plentiful oil reserves.
Mr Maduro is widely considered a dictator who’s cheated elections and has been president since 2013.
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