David Whelan can’t believe the Russian government’s claim that his twin brother, Paul N. Whelan, is a spy. «I just can’t see him…
David Whelan can’t believe the Russian government’s claim that his twin brother, Paul N. Whelan, is a spy.
«I just can’t see him breaking laws in America, let alone going to a country that might be more difficult to navigate if he broke the law, and certainly not breaking a law of espionage,» David Whelan said.
In a phone interview with the Free Press from his home in Newmarket, Ontario, David Whelan described his brother as a retired Marine who once worked as a police officer in Chelsea for the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department, in security at Troy-based Kelly Services, and for the Auburn-Hills based auto supplier BorgWarner.
Paul Whelan, 48, of Novi was arrested Friday «in Moscow while on a spy mission,» Russian authorities said. He is under criminal investigation for espionage and has been detained, according to a statement issued Monday by the Russian Federal Security Service, known as the FSB.
David Whelan said they grew up in the Ann Arbor area and graduated in 1988 from Huron High School. Paul Whelan served a couple of tours in Iraq with the Marines, never married and never had children. He doted on the family’s golden retriever, Flora.
He described his brother as «a very kind person. He’s very generous with his time; he’s funny. He’s a gregarious sort of person.»
Being generous with his time is how Paul Whelan ended up in Russia in late December, David Whelan said. He was there to help a friend who was about to get married, his brother said. The two men had served in the Marines together.
«He loves to travel and he’s been to Russia on both personal visits and for work,» David Whelan said. «And the friend asked if Paul could come and help because his family was going to Russia and hadn’t had a lot of experience there. Paul was there to help people tour the buildings and get around what can be a difficult country to navigate.»
Paul Whelan arrived in Russia on Dec. 22, and had planned to help the wedding party in Moscow through Tuesday. After that, David Whelan said, his brother was scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg before returning home to Michigan on Jan. 6.
«What warned us was that my parents hadn’t heard from him as of last Friday,» David Whelan said. «They would have expected pictures from the wedding or a follow-up on how the dog’s vet visit had gone.
