The chief of the KGB in the Leningrad region says he knows who the anti-Semites are and has warned them that “drastic measures” would be taken for any anti-Semitic activity, the World Jewish Congress reported here.
The WJC quoted a report by Tass, the Soviet news agency, describing a live television broadcast in Leningrad, during which Lt. Gen. Anatoly Kurkov, regional head of the KGB, answered viewers’ questions.
Discussing ethnic strife, the general noted that rumors were rife in Leningrad that pogroms against Jews could be expected.
“I can state quite responsibly that there are absolutely no realistic grounds for pogroms or any kind of outrages,” Kurkov said.
“Moreover, the KGB Leningrad department knows people who preach anti-Semitic views. In case of any moves on their part, we shall take the most drastic measures,” he said.
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