Speaking to the heads of Russia's main television channels and news agencies, Nikolai Patrushev said that his agency uncovered a U.S. intelligence operation in 2002 and arrested two Russian citizens on suspicion of gathering secret military information, ORT and other news agencies reported on 16 December. Patrushev said that many representatives of aid and religious organizations are "working for American intelligence," mentioning especially the U.S. Peace Corps. This year, the FSB instigated the refusal to renew the visas of 30 Peace Corps volunteers working in Russia. He added that some Turkish and Azerbaijani organizations and citizens are also conducting intelligence work. He said that an Azerbaijani general who worked on the CIS staff for military cooperation was arrested and expelled earlier this year. At the same time, Patrushev emphasized that the FSB is cooperating closely with Western intelligence services to combat international terrorism and that through this cooperation several internationally wanted Islamic extremists were arrested in Russia in 2002. (RFE/RL)