Espionage in NATO’s military headquarters? Canadian female intern arrested in Belgium

Brussels: Belgian officials said a Canadian woman working as an intern at the operational headquarters of the NATO military alliance has been arrested on spying charges. Belgium’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office said the espionage investigation was launched after Belgian military intelligence received information from NATO’s security service. Authorities then detained “a Canadian citizen of Chinese origin” on Friday. A day before this, the suspect’s house and his place of work in NATO’s large command center were raided.

suspected of spying for a third country

“She is suspected of spying for a third country and being a member of a criminal organization,” the prosecutor said in a statement. Let us tell you that the Strategic Headquarters of the Allied Powers, known as SHAPE, is located in the southern city of Mons, Belgium, near the border of France. Military officers in SHAPE plan and command joint strategies, tactics, and operations. The political headquarters of the alliance is in Brussels, where ambassadors of member countries meet to discuss defense spending, drone intrusions and cyber threats. NATO’s Cyber ​​Security Center is based in SHAPE.

no side effects so far

Colonel Martin L. O’Donnell, SHAPE spokesman, said, “At this time, there is no indication that there has been any adverse impact on NATO or SHAPE’s operational readiness, command and control arrangements or ongoing operations. SHAPE is performing its responsibilities without interruption.” In fact, both Canada and Belgium are members of the 32-nation military alliance, which described China as a “security challenge” in 2021, along with threats from Russia and the Middle East.

Trump is angry with NATO

The arrest in Belgium comes at a crucial time for the alliance, which is facing severe criticism from President Donald Trump, who has reduced America’s security role in Europe. Trump is pressuring his allies to spend more on defense and get involved in the conflict with Iran. He has also threatened to forcibly take over Greenland from NATO member Denmark, due to which the European countries and the Alliance were shocked.

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