US ambassador visits American imprisoned for espionage

MOSCOW (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to Russia has met with imprisoned American Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence on an espionage conviction that both Washington and Whelan dispute. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller says that Ambassador Lynne Tracy traveled to the prison colony about 350 kilometers (220 miles) east of Moscow where Whelan is held. Miller says Whelan has shown courage. He says the ambassador underlined that top U.S. officials are committed to bringing Whilean home.