Paul William Hampel

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Paul William Hampel is the fictitious name of a man accused by the Canadian government of being a Russian spy masquerading as a Canadian Citizen. He was arrested on November 14, 2006 at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport at about 6 p.m. just prior to boarding a plane departing Canada.[1] When he was arrested, he had in his possession a fraudulent Ontario birth certificate, US$6,810 in five currencies, a shortwave radio, index cards with detailed notes about Canadian history, two digital cameras, three cell phones and five cell phone sim cards, some of them password-protected.[2]

He was detained under a security certificate, signed by Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Immigration Minister Monte Solberg. According to the National Post, the certificate asserts that the individual "was a foreign national engaged in espionage, a member of an espionage organisation and 'a danger to the security of Canada.'"[3] Specifically, he is suspected of being an elite agent in the SVR, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service.[4] A Federal Court judge has found the certificate reasonable and ordered Hampel to be expelled from Canada.[5] In order to speed up the deportation, Federal Court Justice Pierre Blais made a deal with the accused to seal the man's real name because of concerns for the safety of his family. In exchange, Hampel will not contest deportation to his homeland. [6]

Hampel has admitted through his lawyer "that he is not Paul William Hampel, that he is a Russian citizen, born on October 21, 1961, and that he has no legal status in Canada." He does not admit to being a spy.[7]

Hampel started an "emerging markets" consultancy in Dublin, Ireland, but the business was stagnant in recent years. In 1997, Hampel set up in Dublin a company called Emerging Markets Research and Consulting Limited, and put one million dollars of capital into the company; however, the company never filed any returns. The company formed part of a business empire that Hampel controlled, and which operated in Sark, Belgrade, Cyprus and Canada.[8]

Paul William Hampel frequently traveled to Balkans and published a book of photographs "My Beautiful Balkans"[9].

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Ottawa moves to deport alleged Russian spy," CTV.ca, Updated Thu. Nov. 16 2006 10:10 PM ET, accessed on Friday, November 17, 2006. [1]
  2. ^ "Man accused of being Russian spy acknowledges he is Russian, will not fight deportation", International Herald Tribune, 4 December 2006
  3. ^ "Canadian authorities hold 'Russian spy'", The Courier Mail, November 17, 2006 05:16am, accessed on November 16, 2006. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20773241-23109,00.html
  4. ^ "Judge scolds spying suspect's lawyers", The National Post, 29 November 2006
  5. ^ "Russian spy to be expelled from Canada", USA Today, 4 December 2006
  6. ^ "Ottawa to deport Russian 'agent'", The Toronto Star, 5 December 2006
  7. ^ "Russian spy to be expelled from Canada", USA Today, 4 December 2006
  8. ^ "Ireland 'Russian spy training camp'", Newsmedianews, 23 November 2006
  9. ^ "My Beautiful Balkans"[2]

[edit] External links

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