A bit more info is starting to trickle out.
A Canadian intern accused of spying at NATO’s strategic headquarters will make her first appearance in a Belgium court Tuesday to seek bail, and while the hearing will be held behind closed doors, the outcome will be released to the public.
www.cp24.com
A Canadian intern accused of spying at NATO’s strategic headquarters will
make her first appearance in a Belgium court Tuesday
to seek bail, and while the hearing will be held behind closed doors,
the outcome will be released to the public.
The woman, who worked at the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers of Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, was
arrested Friday after her behaviour was flagged by NATO security services.
....... the intern was vetted by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the RCMP before being hired at NATO.
When
asked by CTV News
if the government is confident the alleged spy has not worked for another federal department before getting hired at NATO, the minister responded that Canadian authorities “will monitor the impact of the work this individual has done and if they have done any work in Canada.”
The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office is not identifying the name of the suspect, or who she’s accused of spying for, but says that she is a “Canadian national of Chinese origin.”
Roger Hilton, a security analyst with the defence think tank GLOBSEC, says “it’s not a coincidence” the mention of the suspect being of Chinese origin was added on.
Hilton says that disclosure could be intended to send a signal to NATO’s 32 member allies where they need to strengthen their screening, adding that NATO countries need to focus on the “long game.”
“If they invest in this asset for a very long time to keep it under the radar and keep attention away from that person – then when the asset rises to deputy foreign minister or becomes the head of a delegation or political military affairs – the amount of intelligence, and what that asset can pay back after years of investment, is really unbelievable,” he said.
“Is this a one off? Can allies trust us in the future? How is CSIS or (the) RCMP vetting? What does it mean for future interns?” he said. “After the Canadian government and the delegation in Brussels approves an intern, will NATO have to do another screening process?”
EDIT:
Repérée par les services de sécurité internes de l'Otan, une ressortissante canadienne d'origine chinoise a été arrêtée en Belgique pour espionnage présumé au profit d'un pays tiers.
www.lexpress.fr
Below is translated into English.
Enjeux internationaux
On Thursday, July 23, investigators
searched the suspect's home and workplace, inside the SHAPE. The computer crimes unit and the forensic services of Charleroi and Mons took part in the operation, in particular
to seize and examine possible digital and material elements. The next day, the investigating judge ordered her detention for
alleged espionage and participation in a criminal organization.
thedefensepost.com
.
