Russian security service accuses FBI of framing hackers

Hacking the hackers is a crime, according to an FSB officer who has chargedthe FBI with using illegal methods to snare two young Russians who werearrested in the United States.Igor Tkach, an officer in the Chelyabinsk branch of the Russian FederalSecurity Service (FSB), has opened a criminal case against FBI SpecialAgent Michael Schuler. Schuler is accused of illegally accessing RussianWeb servers to gather evidence against two computer hackers fromChelyabinsk, who were lured to Seattle in November 2000. "If Russianhackers can be convicted on evidence obtained by the Americans throughhacking, it means the US secret services may use further illegal means ofobtaining information in Russia and in other countries," an FSBspokesperson was quoted as saying on Thursday.Other Russian officials also seemed to take the situation seriously. "Ourposition is unambiguous: Crime must be rooted out, but it must not meanthat any means can be used for doing so," First Deputy CommunicationsMinister Andrei Korotkov said Thursday on RTR television, the St.Petersburg Times reported..