DATE=3/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246301
TITLE=RUSSIAN MOB (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE U-S COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS IS MEETING WITH 
THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (F-B-I) LATER THIS MONTH ON A
LIFE OR DEATH MATTER -- LITERALLY.  IT CONCERNS ALLEGED DEATH 
THREATS AGAINST AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST WHO WRITES ABOUT RUSSIAN 
ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ELAINE
JOHANSON REPORTS FROM NEW YORK:   

TEXT:  THE F-B-I INFORMED REPORTER ROBERT FRIEDMAN LAST JUNE THAT
A RUSSIAN ORGANIZED CRIME FIGURE HAD TAKEN OUT A CONTRACT ON HIS 
LIFE.  MR. FRIEDMAN WAS ANXIOUS BUT NOT SHOCKED.  ABOUT ONE MONTH
EARLIER, RUSSIAN MOB LEADER VYACHESLAV IVANKOV (VJAH'CHEH SLAHF  
EE VAHN' KOF) HAD SENT HIM A VALENTINE'S CARD FROM A NEW YORK 
STATE PRISON WHERE THE RUSSIAN IS SERVING A NINE-YEAR SENTENCE 
FOR EXTORTION.  LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS DECIDED ITS CRYPTIC 
MESSAGE WAS A THREAT TO KILL MR. FRIEDMAN.

THE AMERICAN JOURNALIST SAYS HE WILL NOT GO UNDERGROUND (HIDE).  
HE HAS TAKEN SOME SECURITY PRECAUTIONS.  CLEARLY HE MOVES AROUND 
HIS CRIME BEAT MORE WISELY, AVOIDING BRIGHTON BEACH -- THE NEW 
YORK AREA THAT IS HOME TO A LARGE RUSSIAN EMIGRE COMMUNITY.

MR. FRIEDMAN SAYS RUSSIAN CRIME FIGURES HAVE NO OBJECTION TO 
STORIES ABOUT THEIR CRIMES, EVEN SAVAGERY -- AS LONG AS ONE DOES 
NOT DELVE TOO DEEPLY AND EXPOSE TOO MUCH.  HE SAYS CLEARLY HE 
STEPPED OVER THAT LINE:

                        //FRIEDMAN ACT//

         IF YOU WRITE A STORY ABOUT HOW TOUGH THEY ARE, HOW MANY 
         PEOPLE THEY KILL, HOW THEY'VE INFILTRATED INTERNATIONAL 
         BANKING SYSTEMS -- STUFF LIKE THAT -- THEY ARE QUITE 
         PROUD OF IT ACTUALLY.  SOME OF THEM KEEP PRESS CLIPS.  
         BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO THEIR BUSINESS, HOW THEY MAKE 
         MONEY, HOW THEY MAKE ILLICIT MONEY AND YOU REALLY LAY IT
         OUT FOR READERS, IN CONSEQUENCE YOU COST THEM MONEY 
         BECAUSE THE FEDS (U-S AUTHORITIES) MAY COME DOWN AND 
         MAKE ARRESTS. THAT'S WHEN THEY GET SERIOUS.  AND THAT'S 
         WHEN THEY TARGET YOU.

                           //END ACT//

RATHER THAN HIDE AWAY, MR. FRIEDMAN APPROACHED THE COMMITTEE TO 
PROTECT JOURNALISTS -- A PRIVATE GROUP BASED IN NEW YORK.  THEY 
ADVOCATED GOING PUBLIC WITH THE STORY OF THE DEATH THREATS AND 
IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE F-B-I.

ANN COOPER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMITTEE, SAYS SHE WANTS 
TO KNOW WHAT PRECISELY THE F-B-I IS DOING TO PROTECT MR. 
FRIEDMAN:

                         //COOPER ACT//

         WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR AGENDA THAT WE'RE GOING IN 
         WITH.  BUT WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN TELL US 
         ABOUT THE SITUATION.  OBVIOUSLY THEY TAKE THE THREATS 
         VERY SERIOUSLY.  THEY CALLED HIM UP WITH THE SECOND 
         THREAT AND INFORMED HIM.  WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT MORE CAN 
         BE DONE TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE THREATS ARE NOT 
         CARRIED OUT.

                           //END ACT//

MR. FRIEDMAN SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY U-S AUTHORITIES HAVE 
NOT MOVED TO BRING NEW CHARGES AGAINST THE RUSSIAN MOBSTER FOR 
THREATENING HIS LIFE.  THE RUSSIAN CRIME FIGURE HAS SINCE BEEN 
MOVED OUT OF NEW YORK STATE TO A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON.  MR. 
FRIEDMAN AND THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS SAY THAT IS NOT
GOOD ENOUGH.

MR. FRIEDMAN SAYS HE WANTS MR. IVANKOV TO KNOW THAT HE CANNOT 
TREAT THE AMERICAN PRESS THE SAME WAY THE RUSSIAN MAFIA DEALS 
WITH THE PRESS IN RUSSIA.

                          //REST OPT//

MURDER OF JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK 
IS RARE.  THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS NOTES THAT MOST 
KILLINGS OF THIS NATURE HAVE INVOLVED FOREIGN PRESS.  A RASH OF 
MURDERS OF VIETNAMESE JOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES EARLIER 
THIS DECADE WAS FOUND TO BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.  A VIETNAMESE 
GROUP OPPOSED TO THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN VIETNAM CLAIMED 
RESPONSIBILITY. (SIGNED)

NEB/NY/EJ/LSF/JO    

        

05-Mar-99 2:31 PM EST (1931 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.