NATO Intern Detained on Espionage Charges

Belgian authorities have detained an intern working at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) near the city of Mons on suspicion of espionage.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office stated that the suspect is a Canadian citizen of Chinese origin who is under investigation on suspicion of spying on behalf of a third country and participating in a criminal organization. Her identity has not yet been disclosed.

Security services at SHAPE headquarters alerted authorities to the suspect and informed Belgian military intelligence.

The case was subsequently taken over by the Federal Prosecutor's Office, and the investigation was assigned to the federal judicial police in Charleroi. On Thursday, police conducted searches of the suspect's home and workplace at NATO headquarters. An investigating judge subsequently issued an arrest warrant for her.

Belgian authorities stressed that the investigation is ongoing and, to protect the investigation, declined to disclose further details.

(Reuters, Interfax, MJA)