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Armenia’s NSS detains a man suspected of trying to extort money from Zvartnots airport chief manager
YEREVAN, February 15. / ARKA /. Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) said today it detained yesterday a man suspected of intimidating the chief executive manager of Armenia’s international airport Zvartnots Juan Pablo Gechijian trying to extort from him a large amount of money.
According to a NSS statement, the man, identified as Karen Simonyan, an Armenian citizen, had sent e-mails to the chief manager from January 21 to February 24 threatening to kill him and his family members if he did not pay him 80 million drams (about $197,000).
The NSS said the suspect presented himself as a member of an international terrorist organization. He attempted to cover himself up by sending the e-mails from different Internet cafes in the capital city Yerevan.
"On February 14, Karen Simonyan was detained. The authorities have opened a criminal case under Article 182 of the penal code (extortion)," the NSS said. -0-
18:46 15.02.2013
