Swiss prosecutors suspect three individuals, including a Russian diplomat, of trying to obtain weapons and other potentially dangerous material, AFP and Tages-Anzeiger reported on July 13. The Russian diplomat immediately left the country, Tages-Anzeiger reported. Prosecutors have searched several houses and an arrest warrant has been issued for one of the individuals without diplomatic immunity, Switzerland's top prosecutor told AFP. The case comes amid growing concerns about Kremlin espionage efforts in Switzerland, where Russia has 220 accredited diplomats and staff. Switzerland's Federal Intelligence Service said last year the number of Russian intelligence officers in the country operating under diplomatic cover was among the highest in Europe.
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