- A Canadian woman of Chinese origin who was an intern at a NATO site in Belgium has been arrested on spying charges, the Belgium prosecutor said on Saturday.
- The prosecutor stated she is suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organization.
- The suspect was an intern at 'SHAPE', which is a NATO site in Mons, Belgium.
- The intern was first flagged by the security services at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Europe, or SHAPE, which is near Mons, Belgium.
- Searches of her home and workplace were conducted on Thursday, leading to her arrest on Friday.
- Belgian authorities announced the arrest on Saturday, noting she is of Chinese origin and suspected of spying for a third country.
A Canadian woman of Chinese origin, who interned at NATO's military headquarters in Belgium, was arrested on suspicion of espionage. The Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office confirmed her arrest on Friday, stating she is suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and being part of a criminal organization.1
The investigation was initiated after the woman was flagged by security services at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Europe (SHAPE), located near Mons, Belgium. Following this, authorities conducted searches at her home and workplace on Thursday, leading to her arrest the next day. The prosecutor's office has not disclosed her name or the identity of the country she allegedly spied for.
Despite the serious allegations, NATO officials have stated that there is currently no indication that NATO or SHAPE's operational readiness has been compromised. The prosecutor's office has refrained from providing further details, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
“At this time, there is no indication that NATO or SHAPE operational readiness, command and control arrangements, or ongoing tasks have been adversely affected,” a NATO spokesperson said in a statement.
“Belgian authorities said the woman, of Chinese origin, was arrested Friday after an investigation triggered by security services at SHAPE. She is suspected of spying for a third country and being a member of a criminal organization, though the country and group were not identified.”
