Washington: Russia's FSB requested assistance of the FBI in ensuring security during the FIFA World Cup
The FSB of Russia appealed to the United States FBI with a request for assistance in providing security at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2018, as reported in the U.S. State Department's most recent annual report on the analysis of terrorist threats in the world.
“The FSB requested assistance from the FBI with respect to security training in preparation for the FIFA World Cup in 2018,” the document notes. It does not provide any details about what kind of assistance Russian law enforcement authorities have requested from their American counterparts and whether such assistance will be provided. In 2018, Russia will host the FIFA World Cup, which will be held at 12 stadiums in 11 cities across country.
The U.S. State Department also stressed that the limited scope of cooperation between the Russian and U.S. intelligence agencies on counter-terrorism issues continues despite the ongoing decline in bilateral relations.
Among other things, Moscow continues to warn Washington about terrorist threats it has revealed to the United States, the authors of the report state. However, they argue that Russia does not always respond to U.S. requests for data on potential terrorist threats in a meaningful and prompt manner.
“Despite the tension in overall bilateral relations with the United States, Russian security services provide limited cooperation on counter-terrorism matters. Russia continued to disseminate information about threats and periodically responded to [the US] information requests, although its responses were often not meaningful or timely,” the report says.
In addition, it confirms that the Russian authorities “continued to cooperate with the U.S. FBI in the investigation of [persons] involved in the explosions during the Boston Marathon.” This attack was committed on April 15, 2013 by two brothers, Tamerlane and Johar Tsarnaev.
Finally, “both the FSB and the Investigative Committee requested information from the FBI concerning the explosion of a Russian aircraft in Egypt in October 2015,” the State Department adds.
Speaking at a U.S. congressional hearing last June, John Brennan, who had filled the position of CIA Director at the time, said that according to US intelligence, the terrorist group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (Supporters of Jerusalem), took credit for destroying the Kogalymavia passenger plane, killing all 218 passengers in the sky over the Sinai Peninsula.