Reuters/Andy ClarkMikhail Lennikov looks over paperwork related to his deportation case while sitting in the First Lutheran Church in Vancouver, British Columbia September 1, 2009.Lennikov’s lawyer did not explain why he gave up his fight to stay in Canada but said he flew out of the country on Saturday. “It was a voluntary departure through negotiations”.
Advertisement
He did not say exactly when Lennikov was flown to Russian Federation.
But according to an article in the National Post, Lennikov has given up his lengthy battle to avoid deportation and has left the country.
He confirmed CBSA officers had not entered the church.
The CBSA had previously written that Lennikov admitted to “having reported directly to the department of the KGB responsible for foreign intelligence and espionage”, but that he claimed he had joined the KGB under duress, and he denied engaging in spying and was “a law-abiding resident with extensive ties to the community”. The CBSA has refrained from entering places of worship to make arrests.
Canadian immigration officials declared Lennikov a threat to national security because of his history working as a KGB translator in the 1980s. The Conservative Party argued that the decision to deport him was right since he was unwelcome in Canada because of his past.
“His work included translating documents, assessing prospective Japanese informants’ credibility and continuing contact with some student informants from Far Eastern State University”, the Federal Court wrote in a ruling.
In 1999, he confessed to his role in the KGB but said he did his work under pressure from his superiors.
He had taken sanctuary in the church a day before the order, and had stayed there since. His son and wife were given permanent-resident status.
Advertisement
Lennikov was scared of going back to Russian Federation because he feared he would be charged with treason because he had revealed the names of KGB agents.
