“This is a complex investigation into a crime that is very difficult to investigate and the suspicions relate to very serious actions directed against the Swedish security and intelligence system,” said National Security Unit lead prosecutor Per Lindqvist.
“What has been obtained, transmitted and disclosed could, by falling into the hands of a foreign power, undermine Sweden’s security,” Lindqvist said in a statement.
RUSSIAN SPIES “EVERYWHERE” IN UKRAINE
He later told The Associated Press that the case was “extremely sensitive,” but declined to elaborate.
According to the indictment received via AP, the men “jointly” passed data to the Russian military’s intelligence GRU between Sept. 28, 2011, and Sept. 20, 2021.
He added that knowledge gained through the paintings of one of the men from Sweden’s national intelligence firm and the country’s armed forces. The knowledge comes from various governments within the Swedish security and intelligence services.
His brother contributed to contacts with “Russia and the GRU, adding problems to offer data and receive compensation. “According to the charges, Payam Kia “disassembled and broke a hard drive that he later discovered in a trash can” when his brother was arrested.
The case was investigated through Sweden’s internal security service, SAPO. Swedish prosecutors said much of the data from the initial investigation was secret and may simply not provide details.
SAPO said it became suspicious of the former employee and that an initial investigation was opened in 2017. Lindqvist said the investigation was opened “because there were suspicions that there was a mole, an infiltrator” within the Swedish intelligence community.
The national spy firm showed that Peyman Kia worked there between 2014 and 2015, and before that he worked in the Swedish armed forces.
Swedish media said he worked for the armed forces’ foreign defense intelligence firm MUST and allegedly worked with a top-secret MUST unit that dealt with Swedish spies abroad. He then worked for Swedish Customs.
“The alleged crime is a threat that each and every security service is well aware of, we are doing everything we can to counter it,” said SAPO’s Anders Kassman.
Peder Ohlsson, head of the armed forces’ press service, called the crimes “very serious. “
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Johnson said he had been briefed on the case and declined to comment.
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The brothers became Swedish citizens in 1994, and the Expressen quoted one of the men speaking Persian fluently. The younger brother allegedly worked for SAPO, Swedish media reported.
They were arrested in September and November 2021. Both have denied wrongdoing, Swedish media reported. The brothers face life in prison if convicted. A life sentence in Sweden means a minimum of 20 to 25 years in prison.