40 years ago today William Sutch was charged with spying. The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) aimed to catch Sutch – a prominent citizen, known for his work as an economist, writer, public servant and diplomat – in the act of passing information to Dimitri Aleksandrovick Razgovorov, a Russian diplomat. The pair had been under surveillance since April, after the NZSIS chanced upon what they believed was a clandestine meeting between them. They believed that if caught in the act Sutch would come clean and cooperate with them. At approximately 8.40 p.m. on 26 September, Sutch was detained by police assisting the NZSIS with their operation in Aro Valley, Wellington. He was told that he had been observed meeting a Russian on three occasions, including that evening. Sutch responded that this was ‘preposterous’ but was taken to Wellington Central Police Station for further questioning. Here he acknowledged that he might have met Razgovorov socially, ‘but not under the circumstances outlined by the police’. nzhistory.net.nz/scandal-william-sutch-is-charged-with-spying-under-the-official-secrets-act Alexander Turnbull Library Reference: PAColl-6001-28
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 18:00:00 +0000
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