Belgium says a Canadian intern is suspected of spying at Nato. Here's what we know
Belgium says a Canadian intern is suspected of spying at Nato. Here's what we know
Getty ImagesA Canadian woman of Chinese origin has been arrested for allegedly spying while working as an intern at the military headquarters of the Nato (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) alliance, according to Belgian prosecutors.
Belgium's Federal Prosecutor's Office said it was tipped off by Nato security services, which led to a raid of the suspect's home and workplace inside the Nato headquarters.
"She is suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organization," the prosecutors' office said in a statement on Saturday.
The woman was working as an intern in Nato's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers (Shape) Europe in Mons, Belgium.
Here's what we have learned about the alleged spying incident.
What do we know about the case?
Belgian officials have yet to name the woman involved.
The outlets reported that the woman's behaviour raised alarms, such as staying by Nato's buildings and asking questions.
The Belgian Prosecutor's Office told Euronews that the suspect was ordered to be held in one-month pretrial custody.
She worked as an intern at Shape, the central military headquarters of Nato's Allied Command Operations, which is responsible for the planning and execution of all operations for the military alliance, of which Canada and Belgium are both members. The BBC has contacted the organisation for comment.
Officials have also not yet specified the third country for which the suspect was allegedly spying.
How was she vetted?
According to Shape's website, depending on the type of work, interns' host countries are responsible for checking on their security clearance, which in this case would be Canada. The BBC has contacted Canadian police for comment.
"The required time to receive the Security Clearance depends on the national rules of Nato Member States and may take from eight weeks to 18 months," the Shape website states. "The vetting process starts once you have been selected."
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada confirmed to Canadian news outlets that the government makes the decision to grant, deny or revoke security clearances for Canadians working in international organisations following "security assessments provided by CSIS", the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
What have officials said?
A spokesperson for Nato has told US media that the alliance "remains fully committed to protecting Allied personnel, safeguarding classified information, and maintaining the trust and security upon which the Alliance depends".
Royal Canadian Mounted Police has said it is supporting Belgian law enforcement partners but has declined to comment further.
Canada's Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree said during a news conference this week that the country "will continue to investigate the processes we have and the security screening".
"In this particular case, I think it's important to get to the bottom of what happened," he said.
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