MOSCOW Ñ Russian intelligence officials say the Middle East allies of Chechen insurgents have sent intelligence agents to spy on Moscow.

Russian intelligence officials said the Chechen allies include Jordan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The officials said Iran's support for Chechens has been extended despite Teheran's pledge to stay out of Russian affairs, Middle East Newsline reported.

"Cases have been discovered where Chechen extremists were supported by people working for the intelligence services of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran and Pakistan", Col. Gen. Oleg Syromolotov, deputy Federal Security Service, said.

Syromolotov told the Moscow-based Itar-Tass news agency that Arab and Islamic intelligence services are targeting Moscow. He said that over the last two years the FSB's counterintelligence department has caught 14 foreign agents and that another 260 foreign agents were identified and monitored.

The FSB chief said Russian counterintelligence has exposed hundreds of agents employed by foreign secret services. They included six Russians.

Syromolotov said a priority of Russian intelligence is Chechnya. He said the FSB and intelligence units are working in Chechnya, searching for rebels as well as aligned Islamic insurgents.

Earlier, Russia accused Turkey of harboring Chechen insurgents.

Officials said Turkey continued to provide safe haven to Chechens despite an agreement to cooperate in counter-terrorism issues.

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