A sensational arrest inside Estonia's defence ministry Edward Lucas TALLINN – From the published information, it hardly seems like a big deal. On September 21st Herman Simm, a middle-ranking civil servant in Estonia's defence ministry, was arrested, along with his wife, and charged with spying for an unnamed foreign power. Mr Simm has made no public statement and his lawyer has not responded to requests for comment. Estonian officials flatly decline to discuss the case. But it is likely to come to court next year. If convicted, Mr Simm faces a jail term of between three and 15 years.
This article appeared in the Economist print edition of November 6, 2008. It is available online in full at
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