Ex-KGB agent Mikhail Lennikov ‘in sanctuary’
p2pnet news view | P2P | Politics:- Ex-KGB agaent Mikhail Lennikov, 48, would have been on his way back to Russia, today, had he not holed up in a church.
KGB is short for Komityet Gosudarstvjennoj Biezopasnosti. It was the former Soviet Union’s secret police and intelligence agency from 1954 to 1991.
Blogs Burnaby Now:
“Local students are protesting this Friday at the Vancouver Art Gallery (March 13, 3:40 p.m.) in another attempt to save the Lennikovs from deportation. There have been a few of these protests, organized through a Facebook group: Save Dmitri Lennikov and His Family.
“Although the family has been here for more than 10 years, the government wants the family deported since the father used to work for the KGB.”
Says the Fa$ebook group »»»
Dmitri is a student at Byrne Creek Secondary, he is a great student who devotes his time to drama, tutoring other students and writing for Youthink.
He is NOT a security threat.
He can’t help his father’s past and he shouldn’t be punished for it.
Considering the circumstances, his father couldn’t help his past either.
This family has been nothing but law-abiding for th [sic] past 10 years, the Canadian government can’t just give them false hope for a decade and snatch it away.
Please help us and show your support
You can write a letter to Mr. Stockwell Day or sign our petition. If you have any other suggestions please let us know, we need to find every way to stop this.
The story:
Dmitri’s father, Mikhail Lennikov, used to live in Russia where he was requested by the Russian organization, KGB. He joined releuctantly and tried o [sic] quit for many years. When he eventually did, he was seen as a traitor and began recieveing threats from KGB officers.
He moved to Canada with his family in 1997 where he confessed his past to the Canadian government to prove his loyalty to Canada. Now, 10 years later his family is being deported back to Russia where their lives could be at risk. Dmitri could be inducted into the military and be hazed because of his dad’s resignation from the KGB and Mikhail may never find a job to support his family because of his past.
First Lutheran Church
Lennikov has taken refuge in the First Lutheran Church in Vancouver, “to avoid his scheduled deportation today from Canada to post-Soviet Russia,” says the Toronto Star.
‘”‘On Monday, the Federal Court refused a last-ditch appeal to stay the deportation.”
Lennikov’s deportation, “became inevitable after Justice Russell Zinn left unchanged the decision made by the Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness that Lennikov, who allegedly worked as an interpreter in the eighties, cannot stay in Canada any longer,” says Russian news agency ITAR-TASS, continuing:
“The Federal Court judge ruled that Lennikov’s fears that in Russia he will face arrest and high treason accusations are not quite grounded. Lennikov’s expulsion is needed to keep up the trust of Canadian citizens in the efficiency of the immigration law, Zinn said.”
Burnaby Now goes on »»»
I caught up with Nazampal Jaswal, one of the student organizers, at last night’s school board meeting. She said they were focusing their efforts on Jason Kenney, (the federal immigration minister) since his ministry is reviewing the case. The family has applications for permanent residency pending yet the Canadian Border Services Agency is supposed to deport them, although no one knows when. We’ve been following this story for a while, and I have tried to get in touch with the CBSA and had no response so far. That means there are a lot of unanswered questions about the bureaucratic process.
I asked Mikhail if there was a chance the family could wait for a response to their permanent residency applications in a third country to avoid returning to Russia, where they he says they’ll face persecution. But he said it’s not possible since they don’t have their passports and he’s waiting for a renewal on his.
Lennikov says he was up front about KGB past, “and even gave Canada’s spy agency a debriefing on the KGB,” says Ukraine English language publicationthe KYIV Post, adding:
“He said he was pressured into joining the KGB as a young man, and did administrative work in the late 1980s before quitting. He said he feared he might face stiff punishment if forced to return to Russia.
” ‘They still see me as a person who betrayed the organization,’ he said.”
According to the Canadian Press, Richard Hergesheimer, Lennikov’s pastor, says he, “hopes the sanctuary will provide all involved, particularly those at the government level, some time to reassess the situation”.
“He hasn’t heard from anyone at CBSA regarding the deportation order, though, at Lennikov’s insistence, he left a message for border officials Tuesday,” says the story, which has him stating
“I told them he’s in sanctuary, he’s not in hiding. … To be honest, I might not have done that. That was Mikhail’s insistence.”
Stay tuned.
Burnaby Now – Another march for the Lennikovs, June 3, 2009
Toronto Star – , June 3, 2009
ITAR-TASS – Former KGB agent hiding at Vancouver church from deportation to RF, June 3, 2009
Canadian Press – Former KGB employee facing deportation takes sanctuary in church, June 2, 2009
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June 4th, 2009 at 3:24 am
Ya. This is cilly the communisdm is dead so unless they know that this guys comitted so type of crime he shoudl be able to stay.
June 4th, 2009 at 8:28 am
NO KGB In Canada.
He should never have been admitted.
He is not a refugee as a competent member of the Immigration & Refugee Board determined.
His appeal of that decision was then rejected by a Federal Court judge. He has had his day in court. More than once.
He was a member of the Soviet elite.
The KGB persecuted, enslaved and murdered millions. Anyone who was a member of the Soviet secret police, either directly or indirectly, was involved in those repressions.
There is no legal right to sanctuary in any Canadian church.
We should not allow such people in Canada.
He should be seized and expelled whence he came.
No KGB in Canada. No exceptions, no excuses.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
IF they just refused him in the beginning they wouldn’t have the issue they are having today.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:15 am
It would be interesting to know what questions were asked on his origianl applicaion to enter Canada, I was informed that he was asked about his service in Russia and he said he was in the military, yet later it was found that he was a member of the KGB is this factual or not, however the immigration has the last say, and history will show that previous Federal Governments have allowed known criminals and members of terrorist organizations etc to enter Canada and many still remain a resident. Also it took over 50years to deport known German Nazi and SS Members that were allowed to take up residency in Canada.
My personal opinion is that the Church should not be allowed to harbor those wanted on an Immigration Warrant. The RCMP or local police should have Federal Jurisdictionto to remove by Force if neccessary from the Church. The owners of the property that owns the Church buildings shoud be charged with a Criminal offence, and sentenced appropriatel.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Get this opportunist spy out of Canada. if the family separation issue is a problem – they should join him on his return trip. it is outrageous to allow KGB agents to enjoy life far from their crime scene where they engaged one way or the other in destroying other people’s lives so they can get money and comfy life. Disgusting – he should have never been allow to stay here. I can’t believe how naive people here are – who do they think this guy is???? A cold blooded criminal asking for mercy? He should have a chance to go to Russia and ask for compassion of all those whose lives were destroyed because of him.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I suggest 10 years in the church basement is fair for the former member of the Soviet Secret Police. Then we can let him stay.