Arne Treholt
Arne Treholt | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 12 February 2023 Moscow, Russia | (aged 80)
Occupation | Businessman |
Criminal status | Released in 1992 |
Conviction(s) | Treason and espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union and Iraq |
Criminal penalty | 20 years imprisonment |
Arne Treholt (13 December 1942 – 12 February 2023) was a Norwegian-born, Russia-based
Before his arrest in 1984, he was successively a journalist, a junior
Treholt was arrested in 1984 and sentenced to 20 years in prison the following year, of which he served nine in a maximum security prison. His early release was granted in 1992 based on claimed ill health. After his release from prison Treholt moved to Russia, where he started a company together with a former KGB general. He always maintained that he had never provided his contacts with any information that could have endangered his country's security. In 2010, his case took a new twist when
Career
Treholt was a member of the
Investigation leading to arrest
Treholt was placed under surveillance by Norwegian counterintelligence services for several years of his career in the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and the Norwegian ministry of foreign affairs. On 20 January 1984, he was arrested by Ørnulf Tofte, head of counterintelligence, at Oslo Airport on his way to Vienna to meet with KGB officers.
The police conducted two searches of Treholt's apartment. In May 1982, they found 10,000 USD in a suitcase. In August 1983 they found 30,000 USD in the same suitcase. Treholt and his lawyer later alleged that Norwegian counterintelligence services produced this evidence themselves, and that the police and the judges conspired to cheat with the cash evidence, to make it appear as if the money came from the KGB. These allegations have been refuted as untrue.[citation needed] Furthermore, Treholt during the trial admitted to having received "expenses" from the KGB, but claimed that it could "only" have been 26,000 or 27,000 USD.[citation needed]
Tapes from the trial, that were released in 2014, show that the notes in the suitcase were 50- and 100-dollar notes, and not as the verdict states: 20- and 50-dollar notes.[8]
Trial and conviction
Following a much publicized trial presided over by
Treholt was convicted and sentenced for passing classified material to KGB in the period 1974–1983 and to the Iraqi Intelligence Service 1981–1983. The sentence also encompassed handing over secrets obtained at the Norwegian Joint Staff College where he was enrolled with authorization from the non-socialist coalition government. Despite the fact that the government of Prime Minister Kåre Willoch knew that he was under suspicion of espionage, he was admitted so as not to reveal the suspicions harboured by the authorities.
The trial led to a heated and extensive public debate about the Treholt case in Norway. The controversy concerned the evidence, and lack thereof, against Treholt, the conduct of the police and prosecuting authorities, and what was viewed as lenient treatment of Treholt while he was under suspicion.
Incarceration and release
Treholt was incarcerated in
On 3 July 1992, he was
Treholt was imprisoned for more than eight years.
2008 Criminal Cases Review Commission rejection of case review
On 15 December 2008, the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission ruled that the case would not be reviewed.[10] The decision was final and could not[citation needed] be appealed. As a result of the decision, the prosecutor who handled the case in 2008, Stein Vale, wrote a book to summarize the case. The book – Teppefall i Treholtsaken ("Curtain falls on the Treholt case") – was published in September 2009. The chairwoman of the review commission, Janne Kristiansen, was appointed head of the Norwegian Police Security Service, the descendant organization of the Police surveillance service (Politets overvåkningstjeneste). Kristiansen and the PST would be defending the former POT from allegations of evidence tampering later on.
2010 claims by Geir Selvik Malthe-Sørenssen
In September 2010, a new book by the con artist
2010 investigation by the Criminal Cases Review Commission
On 24 September 2010, the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission decided to reopen its investigation of the case, previously closed in 2008. On 9 June 2011, the commission decided that the Arne Treholt criminal case would not be reopened. Based on interviews with 29 witnesses (18 of whom were former police investigators who had been involved in the Treholt investigation) as well as forensic studies of photographs, negatives and documents, the commission unanimously concluded that there was no basis to suggest that evidence against Treholt had been tampered with or had been fabricated. In a 59-page document, the commission completely discounted the allegations made in the 2010 book.[3] After the verdict, PST-director Kristiansen, who had denied re-opening the case in 2008, demanded an apology from Treholt's supporters. The demand was rejected.
2014 claims by Geir Selvik Malthe-Sørenssen
In 2014 Treholt's lawyer
Personal life and death
In 1987, he married Renee Michelle Steele (1968–1992), a fellow inmate until her release.
Treholt wrote on his experiences in prison in three books, Alene (1985), Avdeling K (1991), and Gråsoner (2004).
Treholt was the son of two-term agriculture minister and Labour politician Thorstein Treholt, and Olga Lyngstad.
In March 2006, media said[20] that Treholt had been admitted to a hospital in Cyprus and was in a stable but critical condition, and in a coma, possibly suffering from blood poisoning.
Treholt died in Moscow on 12 February 2023, at the age of 80.[21]
Popular culture
- 2010 action-comedy Norwegian Ninja created a fake "secret history" of the affair: Treholt was commander of a secret team of ninjas that fought enemies of the state on orders from the King of Norway, and that their centre-left political views lead to Operation Gladio framing them for treason.
Bibliography
- "Alone" (Alene) 1985
- "Section K" (Avdeling K) 1991
- "Shades of grey" (Gråsoner) 2004 Autobiography
References
- ^ Han satte oss alle i fare, VG
- ^ Røpet antallet soldater på helgevakt, organisering ved invasjon og beredskapslagre, Dagbladet
- ^ a b "Norway's 'greatest spy case' to be re-examined". AFP. 24 September 2010. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
- ^ Nordheimer, Jon (29 January 1984). "Portrait of Spy as Golden Young Man". The New York Times.
- ^ a b "Russland med front mot Norge". Aftenposten. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
- ^ "Norge som frontlinje mot Russland". Aftenposten. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
- ^ Arne Treholt med selvbiografi
- ISBN 978-82-02-29988-0p. 222-224
- Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "- Aldri sagt med sikkerhet at det ble fabrikkert bevis". 24 September 2010.
- NTB (in Norwegian). 21 September 2010. Archived from the originalon 27 May 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- NTB (in Norwegian). 21 September 2010. Archived from the originalon 16 July 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ Treholt-bløffen, VG
- ^ Forfalskeren, VG
- ^ Helen Sæter om Treholt-bløffen: - Ikke overrasket, VG
- ^ "Advokat Stabell: - Kontoret mitt ble avlyttet" [Lawyer Stabell: - My office was under audio surveillance]. Dagbladet. 13 March 2014.
- ^ Gjenopptar etterforskning av påstått advokat-avlytting, Hegnar.no
- ^ Politiet gjenopptar etterforskning av påstått Stabell-avlytting, VG
- ^ Aftenposten.no: Arne Treholt ligger i koma (Innenriks)
- ^ Arne Treholt (80) er død (in Norwegian)
External links
- Norwegian links
- Book defending Treholt (in Norwegian)
- Final verdict (in Norwegian)
- Dagbladet commenting on the judgement (in Norwegian)
- English links
- "Treholt as BOD member in EU SEC regulated firm", in UWCFX.com, English version.
- "Norwegian Secret Police surveillance pictures", released on flickr. Last access date: 21 August 2009