Russian agents accused of action in Czech Republic

© AP
2008-09-25 13:15:02 - PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - Russian agents operating in the Czech Republic have tried to increase public opposition to a planned U.S. missile defense facility here, the Czech counterintelligence service said Thursday. The agents contacted non-governmental organizations, politicians and the media in the past year about the U.S. missile facility, the service said in its annual report, which provided few other details. Russia strongly opposes the planned missile facility, and many Czechs do, too. The Czech Security Information Services said the Russian agents hope to increase opposition in the Czech public to the radar base that the U.S. plans to build near Prague as part of a missile shield that Washington says is intended to deal with the threat from Iran. The Czech Republic's government has approved the missile defense treaty, but it still requires the approval of the Czech parliament, where it faces strong opposition.