Tribunal Rules Russian Accused Of Spying Can Stay In Britain

Ekaterina Zatuliveter (front, center) walks with lawyers to an immigration hearing in London in mid-October.

A British justice panel has ruled that a Russian woman accused of spying while working for a British lawmaker can stay in Britain.

Ekaterina Zatuliveter was arrested in December on suspicion of using her job in the office of lawmaker Mike Hancock to pass information to Russian intelligence.

Zatuliveter admitted she had a four-year affair with her boss but said she was not a secret agent.

The 26-year-old has not been charged with spying, but British authorities wanted to deport her as a threat to national security.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission ruled that she could stay.

compiled from agency reports