Swedish writer confirms relationship with KGB

Jan Guillou, the famous Swedish author and journalist, is facing new claims of aiding the KGB in the 1960s. Guillou has claimed that he was pursuing journalistic investigations into the role of the secret service in Sweden.

The Swedish newspaper Expressen disclosed documentation that was obtained from Sapo, the Swedish intelligence agency, which discussed aspects of the relationship between Guillou and the KGB. The new information revolves around the KGB’s primary contact in Stockholm Jevgenij Ivanovitj Gergel.

As reported in The Local, a colleague of Guillou’s made a witness statement that expressed concern about the writer’s interactions with the KGB. The statement by the fellow journalist also makes reference to the American Embassy in Stockholm and an alleged assignment involving the theft of an internal telephone directory.

Guillou told the newspaper that he had met Gergel in Stockholm in 1967 during a reception at the Soviet Embassy. ”We never did anything other than talk politics,” Guillou stated, claiming that he did not make any journalistic revelations from the meetings.

Guillou has repeatedly denied allegations of spying for the KGB but has admitted that he was paid by the agency to undertake research on Swedish politics. Guillou maintains that his role was always of a professional nature. ”It was just a few non-events and it is not a crime to meet foreign intelligence services,” he said.

Guillou’s relationship with the KGB lasted until he began to publish articles about the existence of the secret military service in Sweden or Informationsbyran (IB) in which Guillou and Peter Bratt claimed the IB was spying on citizens suspected of being internal security risks. The articles caused a major political scandal for which Guillou was jailed for espionage for 10 months. He was never indicted on any relations to the KGB.