NATO Intern Arrested in China Spy Probe

Belgian authorities suspect a NATO intern, a Canadian citizen of Chinese descent, of spying for China, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

Prosecutors announced her arrest on Saturday, saying she was suspected of spying for a third country and of membership in a criminal organization. They did not officially identify the country involved, but Reuters’ sources said it was China.

She had worked for about a year as an IT intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium.

Her pretrial detention was extended by one month on Tuesday, prosecutors said. She has appealed the decision, with a ruling expected within the next two weeks. A SHAPE spokesperson said there was no indication that the incident had affected NATO’s operational readiness, command and control or ongoing missions.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said authorities would review Canada's security screening process. Responsibility for security checks on NATO interns lies with their countries of origin.

(Reuters, mja)