DATE=3/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246301
TITLE=RUSSIAN MOB (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS IS MEETING WITH
THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (F-B-I) LATER THIS MONTH ON A
LIFE OR DEATH MATTER -- LITERALLY. IT CONCERNS ALLEGED DEATH
THREATS AGAINST AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST WHO WRITES ABOUT RUSSIAN
ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ELAINE
JOHANSON REPORTS FROM NEW YORK:
TEXT: THE F-B-I INFORMED REPORTER ROBERT FRIEDMAN LAST JUNE THAT
A RUSSIAN ORGANIZED CRIME FIGURE HAD TAKEN OUT A CONTRACT ON HIS
LIFE. MR. FRIEDMAN WAS ANXIOUS BUT NOT SHOCKED. ABOUT ONE MONTH
EARLIER, RUSSIAN MOB LEADER VYACHESLAV IVANKOV (VJAH'CHEH SLAHF
EE VAHN' KOF) HAD SENT HIM A VALENTINE'S CARD FROM A NEW YORK
STATE PRISON WHERE THE RUSSIAN IS SERVING A NINE-YEAR SENTENCE
FOR EXTORTION. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS DECIDED ITS CRYPTIC
MESSAGE WAS A THREAT TO KILL MR. FRIEDMAN.
THE AMERICAN JOURNALIST SAYS HE WILL NOT GO UNDERGROUND (HIDE).
HE HAS TAKEN SOME SECURITY PRECAUTIONS. CLEARLY HE MOVES AROUND
HIS CRIME BEAT MORE WISELY, AVOIDING BRIGHTON BEACH -- THE NEW
YORK AREA THAT IS HOME TO A LARGE RUSSIAN EMIGRE COMMUNITY.
MR. FRIEDMAN SAYS RUSSIAN CRIME FIGURES HAVE NO OBJECTION TO
STORIES ABOUT THEIR CRIMES, EVEN SAVAGERY -- AS LONG AS ONE DOES
NOT DELVE TOO DEEPLY AND EXPOSE TOO MUCH. HE SAYS CLEARLY HE
STEPPED OVER THAT LINE:
//FRIEDMAN ACT//
IF YOU WRITE A STORY ABOUT HOW TOUGH THEY ARE, HOW MANY
PEOPLE THEY KILL, HOW THEY'VE INFILTRATED INTERNATIONAL
BANKING SYSTEMS -- STUFF LIKE THAT -- THEY ARE QUITE
PROUD OF IT ACTUALLY. SOME OF THEM KEEP PRESS CLIPS.
BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO THEIR BUSINESS, HOW THEY MAKE
MONEY, HOW THEY MAKE ILLICIT MONEY AND YOU REALLY LAY IT
OUT FOR READERS, IN CONSEQUENCE YOU COST THEM MONEY
BECAUSE THE FEDS (U-S AUTHORITIES) MAY COME DOWN AND
MAKE ARRESTS. THAT'S WHEN THEY GET SERIOUS. AND THAT'S
WHEN THEY TARGET YOU.
//END ACT//
RATHER THAN HIDE AWAY, MR. FRIEDMAN APPROACHED THE COMMITTEE TO
PROTECT JOURNALISTS -- A PRIVATE GROUP BASED IN NEW YORK. THEY
ADVOCATED GOING PUBLIC WITH THE STORY OF THE DEATH THREATS AND
IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE F-B-I.
ANN COOPER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMITTEE, SAYS SHE WANTS
TO KNOW WHAT PRECISELY THE F-B-I IS DOING TO PROTECT MR.
FRIEDMAN:
//COOPER ACT//
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR AGENDA THAT WE'RE GOING IN
WITH. BUT WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN TELL US
ABOUT THE SITUATION. OBVIOUSLY THEY TAKE THE THREATS
VERY SERIOUSLY. THEY CALLED HIM UP WITH THE SECOND
THREAT AND INFORMED HIM. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT MORE CAN
BE DONE TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE THREATS ARE NOT
CARRIED OUT.
//END ACT//
MR. FRIEDMAN SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY U-S AUTHORITIES HAVE
NOT MOVED TO BRING NEW CHARGES AGAINST THE RUSSIAN MOBSTER FOR
THREATENING HIS LIFE. THE RUSSIAN CRIME FIGURE HAS SINCE BEEN
MOVED OUT OF NEW YORK STATE TO A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON. MR.
FRIEDMAN AND THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS SAY THAT IS NOT
GOOD ENOUGH.
MR. FRIEDMAN SAYS HE WANTS MR. IVANKOV TO KNOW THAT HE CANNOT
TREAT THE AMERICAN PRESS THE SAME WAY THE RUSSIAN MAFIA DEALS
WITH THE PRESS IN RUSSIA.
//REST OPT//
MURDER OF JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK
IS RARE. THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS NOTES THAT MOST
KILLINGS OF THIS NATURE HAVE INVOLVED FOREIGN PRESS. A RASH OF
MURDERS OF VIETNAMESE JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES EARLIER
THIS DECADE WAS FOUND TO BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. A VIETNAMESE
GROUP OPPOSED TO THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN VIETNAM CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/NY/EJ/LSF/JO
05-Mar-99 2:31 PM EST (1931 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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