A Canadian national of Chinese origin, a NATO intern, was arrested Thursday by the Belgian federal judicial police on suspicion of “espionage for the benefit of a third country”, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office announced on Saturday.
The intern worked at NATO’s Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) strategic headquarters in Mons.
“She is suspected of espionage for the benefit of a third country and of participation in a criminal organization,” the federal prosecutor’s office said in a press release.
“The suspect had attracted the attention of the SHAPE security services, who reported the facts to the General Intelligence and Security Service (SGRS),” continued the prosecution, without further details on the nature of the facts.
After taking up the case, the prosecution entrusted the investigation to the federal judicial police of Charleroi, who carried out searches on Thursday at the suspect’s home, as well as at her place of work.
The investigating judge subsequently placed the suspect under arrest warrant on Friday.
