Kross on 'Sailing Trip in Indian Ocean,' Not Yet Listed by Interpol
Security specialist Eerik-Niiles Kross, who was last week declared a wanted person by a Russian investigative committee, claimed to be on a sailing trip on the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.
Parliament member Marko Mihkelson said on Wednesday that Kross would soon be returning to Estonia. "I last talked to him on Sunday, but I don't want to comment further," Mihkelson told uudised.err.ee.
Meanwhile, Kross's name still hasn't appeared on Interpol's list of internationally wanted persons. "But that can't change any moment,” said Mihkelson.
With the backing of Estonian authorities, Kross has said he has no intention of traveling to Russia, where he faces charges for piracy. "Estonia launched a criminal investigation into the Arctic Sea case in which I testified and the prosecutor has not found anything. Russia has malevolently ignored the results of that investigation," Kross told Eesti Ekspress.
Although the Arkhangelsk Oblast government website declared that an international warrant has been issued for Kross's arrest, the Estonian Prosecutor's Office has still not received an official confirmation.
MP Mihkelson has dismissed Kross's involvement in the hijacking of the Arctic Sea cargo ship, an affair which he said was a "relatively poorly conceived special operation." Kross, who is actually wanted for his ties with Georgia, is being framed by the Russian secret service, the MP said.
Ott Tammik