Jul 2026: CAN Citizen Accused of Spying @ NATO (split from CHN Superthread)

[The Bread Guy]

LinkedIn is about as accurate as Mad Magazine, except the humour is unintentional.

What I learned from searching NATO SHAPE Intern on LinkedIn......

NATO, much like the UN, is full of bullshit jobs .

Still, not without its uses to some

Safeguarding our secrets - Canada.ca

www.canada.ca

Five Eyes warn of Chinese spies posing as job recruiters

Chinese military intelligence officers are posing as recruiters on sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork to lure people with access to sensitive information into writing paid reports, the Five Eyes agencies have warned in a joint bulletin setting out how the approach works.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

 

[The Bread Guy]

BEL media update (according to Google translate): she stays in jail for the moment ...

La stagiaire canadienne du SHAPE maintenue en détention préventive pour espionnage - RTBF Actus

La ressortissante canadienne d’origine chinoise, stagiaire au SHAPE (le quartier général stratégique des puissances...

www.rtbf.be

... with this multi-media-outlet investigation into who the woman in question might be.

Espionage at NATO: This is the suspect who was arrested last week

After allegations of a spy at NATO’s offices emerged over the weekend, FTM and media partners can reveal details on the identity of the suspect.

www.ftm.eu

Also archived here and text attached. Interesting back-story - key takeaways (as always, assumed innocent until proven guilty via due process, and usual caveats re: unnamed sources):

• Interning @ SHAPE IT since 2025
• "... fluent Chinese and English, specialises in artificial intelligence, the media consortium’s investigation shows. In 2022, she obtained a Master’s degree in computer science from a Canadian university and subsequently wrote several academic papers, the most recent of which examined how artificial intelligence that detects patterns can be better protected against hostile attacks."
• "... Canadian authorities had given approval for her internship. “She held a security clearance issued by Canada,” a security official said ..."
• "... Z. was seen hanging around NATO’s buildings and was frequently asking hypothetical questions about breaches of security protocols ..."
• Also worked for European Space Agency, WTO and "various Canadian government organisations"

 

[Czech_pivo]

BEL media update (according to Google translate): she stays in jail for the moment ...

La stagiaire canadienne du SHAPE maintenue en détention préventive pour espionnage - RTBF Actus

La ressortissante canadienne d’origine chinoise, stagiaire au SHAPE (le quartier général stratégique des puissances...

www.rtbf.be

... with this multi-media-outlet investigation into who the woman in question might be.

Espionage at NATO: This is the suspect who was arrested last week

After allegations of a spy at NATO’s offices emerged over the weekend, FTM and media partners can reveal details on the identity of the suspect.

www.ftm.eu

Also archived here and text attached. Interesting back-story - key takeaways (as always, assumed innocent until proven guilty via due process, and usual caveats re: unnamed sources):

• Interning @ SHAPE IT since 2025
• "... fluent Chinese and English, specialises in artificial intelligence, the media consortium’s investigation shows. In 2022, she obtained a Master’s degree in computer science from a Canadian university and subsequently wrote several academic papers, the most recent of which examined how artificial intelligence that detects patterns can be better protected against hostile attacks."
• "... Canadian authorities had given approval for her internship. “She held a security clearance issued by Canada,” a security official said ..."
• "... Z. was seen hanging around NATO’s buildings and was frequently asking hypothetical questions about breaches of security protocols ..."
• Also worked for European Space Agency, WTO and "various Canadian government organisations"

Linked in account is available

• No pic (could have been removed already) (Virtually EVERYONE, especially the younger people just starting their careers, has a profile pic)
• Lists that she's a 'Research Trainee at European Space Agency, not at NATO
• Lists Mons, Belgium as her location
• Under the 'About' section it states 'Aggressively Asian' and lists the Chinese flag, then the CDN flag

No posts or activity is listed, again all of this could have already been wiped cleaned.

Under the Comments and Reactions section.

• A few pics of a Prof/class from U of Ottawa (she could possibly be in the pics, unsure)
• Comments from her congratulating a young female from 3yrs ago completing her internship as ESA (European Space Agency)

She has 1,134 Followers (a fairly large number of a young person just starting their career). Unable to access this list to see who any of them are. I'm sure that this has been locked as well.

I'm going to assume that every person on her 'followers' list will be having a comprehensive 'look at' by the appropriate 3/4 letter agencies. along with everyone that she 'liked' their post or has commented on in the past.

 

[Czech_pivo]

BEL media update (according to Google translate): she stays in jail for the moment ...

La stagiaire canadienne du SHAPE maintenue en détention préventive pour espionnage - RTBF Actus

La ressortissante canadienne d’origine chinoise, stagiaire au SHAPE (le quartier général stratégique des puissances...

www.rtbf.be

... with this multi-media-outlet investigation into who the woman in question might be.

Espionage at NATO: This is the suspect who was arrested last week

After allegations of a spy at NATO’s offices emerged over the weekend, FTM and media partners can reveal details on the identity of the suspect.

www.ftm.eu

Also archived here and text attached. Interesting back-story - key takeaways (as always, assumed innocent until proven guilty via due process, and usual caveats re: unnamed sources):

• Interning @ SHAPE IT since 2025
• "... fluent Chinese and English, specialises in artificial intelligence, the media consortium’s investigation shows. In 2022, she obtained a Master’s degree in computer science from a Canadian university and subsequently wrote several academic papers, the most recent of which examined how artificial intelligence that detects patterns can be better protected against hostile attacks."
• "... Canadian authorities had given approval for her internship. “She held a security clearance issued by Canada,” a security official said ..."
• "... Z. was seen hanging around NATO’s buildings and was frequently asking hypothetical questions about breaches of security protocols ..."
• Also worked for European Space Agency, WTO and "various Canadian government organisations"

Would be interesting to know who her lawyer is and the law firm that he/she belongs to. That sort of information can go along way in understanding the lay of the land.

 

[daftandbarmy]

LinkedIn is about as accurate as Mad Magazine, except the humour is unintentional.

China seems to be a big fan, though

Five Eyes spy agencies issue warning over LinkedIn recruitment by Chinese intelligence​

The rare joint bulletin by the UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand security services laid out efforts to obtain sensitive information through job ads.

The spy agencies of the Five Eyes international intelligence partnership warned on Wednesday that Chinese spies are attempting to recruit and compromise government and military personnel to gain a tactical advantage over the U.S. and its allies.

In a rare joint bulletin, the intelligence agencies of Britain, the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand warned that China is increasingly using professional networking sites and job platforms — including LinkedIn and Indeed — to gain access to classified information.

Five Eyes spy agencies issue warning over LinkedIn recruitment by Chinese intelligence

The rare joint bulletin by the UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand security services laid out efforts to obtain sensitive information through job ads.

www.politico.eu

 

[The Bread Guy]

Linked in account is available ...

Loving the "Entrepreneurial Mindset Certificate" cert

 

[KevinB]

Would be interesting to know who her lawyer is and the law firm that he/she belongs to. That sort of information can go along way in understanding the lay of the land.

Not really. No Gov is going to make an effort for a burned asset.
Maybe a trade later - but they won’t be spending money nor anything that could link anything directly.

Countries are a lot less scrupulous than organized crime in this respect.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Not really. No Gov is going to make an effort for a burned asset.
Maybe a trade later - but they won’t be spending money nor anything that could link anything directly.

Countries are a lot less scrupulous than organized crime in this respect.

Interesting.

So you think its going to be either a 'public defender' or whatever her family/her can afford themselves?

Is the G of C required to provide any legal assistance?

 

[KevinB]

Interesting.

So you think its going to be either a 'public defender' or whatever her family/her can afford themselves?

Well that would be my guess.

Is the G of C required to provide any legal assistance?

I have no idea, it seems that while the GoC had a duty wrt to the security clearance - the position wasn’t GoC related and that she was a private citizen, so while entitled to standard consular services, but no legal assistance that I can tell.

@brihard more your forte

 

[Czech_pivo]

Well that would be my guess.

I have no idea, it seems that while the GoC had a duty wrt to the security clearance - the position wasn’t GoC related and that she was a private citizen, so while entitled to standard consular services, but no legal assistance that I can tell.

@brihard more your forte

I'd like to understand her 'tax status' within Canada and her 'residency' in terms of Ontario Healthcare coverage (assuming that she'd been an Ontario resident in the past.

Her 1yr time as an intern at NATO, her 10months as an intern in Italy at ESA and her time in Switzerland for the WTO. All that time outside of Canada as an 'intern' should be of potential interest to both the CRA and OHIP.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I'd like to understand her 'tax status' within Canada and her 'residency' in terms of Ontario Healthcare coverage (assuming that she'd been an Ontario resident in the past.

Her 1yr time as an intern at NATO, her 10months as an intern in Italy at ESA and her time in Switzerland for the WTO. All that time outside of Canada as an 'intern' should be of potential interest to both the CRA and OHIP.

All true, but methinks this isn’t the biggest fish to be fried at this point Maybe once she finishes being a guest of the Belgian court & penal system, though …

 

[Czech_pivo]

All true, but methinks this isn’t the biggest fish to be fried at this point Maybe once she finishes being a guest of the Belgian court & penal system, though …

Yes, that is where I was going with this.
Would also like them to look into deporting the individual if they are convicted if they only have Canadian Landed Immigrant status.

And, if they do have only CDN Landed Immigrant status, I would like there to be a change in all of our external, and potentially internal Internships that represent the Federal and/or Provincial Governments, that Individuals must be a CDN citizen to participate if this is not already the policy.

 

[Czech_pivo]

All true, but methinks this isn’t the biggest fish to be fried at this point Maybe once she finishes being a guest of the Belgian court & penal system, though …

And, if she is convicted, I want her to serve 100% of her conviction in Belgium, not be transferred here to Canada.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Loving the "Entrepreneurial Mindset Certificate" cert

Please tell me there was something about multi disciplined teams.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Yes, that is where I was going with this.
Would also like them to look into deporting the individual if they are convicted if they only have Canadian Landed Immigrant status.

And, if they do have only CDN Landed Immigrant status, I would like there to be a change in all of our external, and potentially internal Internships that represent the Federal and/or Provincial Governments, that Individuals must be a CDN citizen to participate if this is not already the policy.

SO far, it's been pretty consistently a Canadian "citizen" since the first statement issued by BEL authorities (attached, in Dutch). Born here vs. naturalized, I can't tell outright.

Please tell me there was something about multi disciplined teams.

Not in the LinkedIn profile, but based her jobs, the term would have come up once or twice in her various workplaces. I just liked the entrepreneurial reference given the charges alleging working for a criminal organization.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Some more details about the alleged spy and what possibly should have been discovered during a security clearance investigation.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-nato-intern-espionage-arrest-biwei-zhang-9.7290088

RCMP pledge to support Belgian investigation into alleged NATO spy

EU media reports intern was known as Claire Z., had worked in Canadian government departments

www.theglobeandmail.com

http://archive.today/i3XnM (non-paywall)

Canadian Security Agencies Cleared China-linked NATO Suspect Vetting Despite a Court Finding of Fraud in Her CBSA Job Application

UPDATE: The suspect has appealed her continued detention. Belgium's Federal Prosecutor's Office told The Bureau that she has lodged an appeal before the Indictments Chamber against Tuesday's decision.

www.thebureau.news

OTTAWA — The Canadian woman of Chinese origin held in Belgium on suspicion of spying inside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) military command for a third country, and of membership in a criminal organization, was vetted by CSIS and the RCMP and cleared for the posting — despite a finding by Canada’s public service watchdog that she committed fraud in a hiring competition run by the CBSA, CSIS’s sister agency inside the Public Safety Canada portfolio.

The Federal Court upheld that finding in a published judgment 11 months before she took up her post at allied command.

The Federal Court judgement.

https://canlii.ca/t/k6ft9

However, note that the finding of "fraud" was not a criminal matter - in essence, she lied during a job application.

[36] I agree with the Respondent that the jurisprudence confirms that the test for determining whether there is fraud for the purposes of section 69 of the PSEA does not require a level of criminality in order to make a finding of fraud. It only requires evidence establishing dishonesty and deprivation or risk of deprivation on a balance of probabilities (Seck at paras 39-42). Further, the Applicant’s submissions on the seriousness of her actions to other cases has little merit, as the test is fact-specific to each applicant.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Some more details about the alleged spy and what possibly should have been discovered during a security clearance investigation.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-nato-intern-espionage-arrest-biwei-zhang-9.7290088

RCMP pledge to support Belgian investigation into alleged NATO spy

EU media reports intern was known as Claire Z., had worked in Canadian government departments

www.theglobeandmail.com

http://archive.today/i3XnM (non-paywall)

Canadian Security Agencies Cleared China-linked NATO Suspect Vetting Despite a Court Finding of Fraud in Her CBSA Job Application

UPDATE: The suspect has appealed her continued detention. Belgium's Federal Prosecutor's Office told The Bureau that she has lodged an appeal before the Indictments Chamber against Tuesday's decision.

www.thebureau.news

The Federal Court judgement.

https://canlii.ca/t/k6ft9

However, note that the finding of "fraud" was not a criminal matter - in essence, she lied during a job application.

Going to assume that her lawyer - Colleen Bauman and the law firm - Goldblatt Partners of Ottawa are going to be having their past/background gone over with a fine tooth comb. I'd assume that the Federal Judge, Paul Favel, will be as well.

I would assume that this successful defense by her allowed her to move forward in her application and ultimate acceptance to the European Space Agency based in Italy and then on to her position at Shape.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Intern appealing continued custody order.

NATO intern suspected of spying appeals her detention

The woman, who is understood to be of Chinese origin, was arrested last week on suspicion of spying for a third country.

www.brusselstimes.com

Canadian national of Chinese origin fights Belgian pre-trial detention

A Canadian national of Chinese origin has lodged an appeal against one-month pre-trial detention after being arrested last week on suspicion of spying for a third country while serving as an intern at a major NATO hub in Belgium. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

Canadian suspect in Belgian espionage case appeals pre-trial detention decision

OTTAWA — The Belgian federal prosecutor's office says a Canadian facing espionage charges is appealing a decision to keep her in pretrial detention.

ottawa.citynews.ca

Another round-up of open source info on the suspect.

Who is the intern accused of spying at NATO in Belgium?

The suspected spy was working for China during her internship, according to sources with knowledge of the case.

www.brusselstimes.com

 

[Czech_pivo]

Intern appealing continued custody order.

NATO intern suspected of spying appeals her detention

The woman, who is understood to be of Chinese origin, was arrested last week on suspicion of spying for a third country.

www.brusselstimes.com

Canadian national of Chinese origin fights Belgian pre-trial detention

A Canadian national of Chinese origin has lodged an appeal against one-month pre-trial detention after being arrested last week on suspicion of spying for a third country while serving as an intern at a major NATO hub in Belgium. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

Canadian suspect in Belgian espionage case appeals pre-trial detention decision

OTTAWA — The Belgian federal prosecutor's office says a Canadian facing espionage charges is appealing a decision to keep her in pretrial detention.

ottawa.citynews.ca

Another round-up of open source info on the suspect.

Who is the intern accused of spying at NATO in Belgium?

The suspected spy was working for China during her internship, according to sources with knowledge of the case.

www.brusselstimes.com

Good luck in convincing them to let her out. Belgium will be under the spot light to make an example of this since its the home of Shape/NATO. They can't be seen as being 'soft' on spying and spies under their jurisdiction.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Intern appealing continued custody order.

NATO intern suspected of spying appeals her detention

The woman, who is understood to be of Chinese origin, was arrested last week on suspicion of spying for a third country.

www.brusselstimes.com

Canadian national of Chinese origin fights Belgian pre-trial detention

A Canadian national of Chinese origin has lodged an appeal against one-month pre-trial detention after being arrested last week on suspicion of spying for a third country while serving as an intern at a major NATO hub in Belgium. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

Canadian suspect in Belgian espionage case appeals pre-trial detention decision

OTTAWA — The Belgian federal prosecutor's office says a Canadian facing espionage charges is appealing a decision to keep her in pretrial detention.

ottawa.citynews.ca

Another round-up of open source info on the suspect.

Who is the intern accused of spying at NATO in Belgium?

The suspected spy was working for China during her internship, according to sources with knowledge of the case.

www.brusselstimes.com

Cue Trump saying that Canada can't be trusted going forward because of this. Cue the comments on Carney's last trip to China and the economic agreements as being another reason why Canada must become the 51st state. F*ck me this looks like a well f8ck up.