NATO spy remand extended – Canadian woman accused in Belgium
A Canadian woman of Chinese origin accused of espionage at NATO remains in custody for a further month.
Remand extended for suspect in NATO espionage case in Belgium
According to Cyprus Mail, a Canadian woman of Chinese origin accused of espionage during an internship at NATO's military headquarters in Belgium will remain in custody for a further month. A spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office announced this decision on Tuesday.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office refused to provide further details about the suspect, who faces charges of espionage on behalf of a third country and participation in a criminal organisation. The prosecutor's spokesperson clarified that the accused has 24 hours to lodge an appeal.
The woman was working as an intern at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in the Belgian city of Mons. A security source stated that the suspect, known as Claire Z, is around 30 years old and is not a student. According to the same source, the woman worked in the IT department of SHAPE and was nearing the end of her internship, a fact that prompted authorities to accelerate the investigation.
Neither NATO nor the Belgian authorities specified the nature of the suspect's work at the Alliance. Responsibility for security vetting of interns lies with their countries of origin – in this case, Canada.
The Canadian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree stated at a press conference on Monday that Canada "will continue to examine the procedures it has in place and the security of its vetting process". "In this particular case, I think it is important to clarify what happened," Anandasangaree added.
SHAPE is NATO's highest military headquarters and seat of the Supreme Allied Command Operations, which is responsible for planning and executing all operations of the 32-member transatlantic defence alliance.
The suspect had drawn the attention of SHAPE's security services following observation of her behaviour, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office. SHAPE announced that there is no indication that NATO's operational readiness or command and control arrangements have been affected.
Source: Cyprus Mail