MOSCOW. Jan 22 (Interfax) - The lawyer of suspected spy Paul Whelan has confirmed that his client had information constituting state secret at the moment of detention.
"I can only confirm that information constituting state secret was found in the course of Whelan's detention. I do not know how he got it, and what he was supposed to do with it; it is also unknown whether Whelan was aware that he possessed secret information. There is nothing but conjectures so far," lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov told Interfax at the Moscow City Court, which will hear the appeal against Whelan's arrest on Tuesday.
The lawyer underlined that Whelan's exchange would not be discussed until his conviction.
"According to Russian laws, it is impossible to exchange Whelan before he is sentenced. There are no such talks in progress," Zherebenkov said.