Jewish Scientists in Russia Are Under Surveillance, Official Reveals

Jewish scientists in the Soviet Union are constantly being watched by Russian “security organs,” lest they pass on secret information which ultimately reaches “American agents” through Israel diplomats in the USSR, it was revealed here by Vadim Bogoslovsky, a Soviet official serving in the United Nations. In an interview with a correspondent of the Jewish Day-Morning Journal, Mr. Bogoslovsky “explained” why Jews in the Soviet Union constitute a “special security problem” for the authorities. He said:

“Jews have a greater possibility of being seduced by foreign agents. Jews have a natural interest in and are not indifferent to Israeli diplomats. The Israeli diplomats often go into the synagogues in Russia. They talk to the worshipers and make friends with them. They talk. They tell each other things. It happens that a Jew has a son who has an important post in a scientific research institute that is concerned with research in secret developments. The diplomat learns details and hands them over to his American friends. This is espionage.”

“As a result of these circumstances,” Mr. Bogoslovsky continued, “Jewish scientists are under special surveillance by our security organs because there were many incidents which would force us to undertake actions to prevent any kind of what, for us, would be unpleasant situations.” The situation, said the Soviet official, is “uncomfortable” both for the Jews in Russia and for the Soviet regime, “but the circumstances and the strained world situation have created it.”