A Canadian woman of Chinese origin who was an intern at of NATO military headquarters in Belgium has been arrested on espionage charges, Belgian prosecutors said Saturday.
“She is suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organization,” the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
The woman worked as an intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in the Belgian city of Mons, the statement said. He did not give further details of her identity or the country or organization she allegedly spied for.
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SHAPE is NATO’s main military headquarters, Allied Command’s Base of Operations, which is responsible for planning and conducting all operations of the 32-member transatlantic security alliance.
The suspect had come to the attention of SHAPE security services, who reported her to Belgian intelligence officials, according to the prosecutors’ statement.
Investigators searched the suspect’s home and her workplace at SHAPE, and she was arrested on Friday.
A SHAPE spokesman said there was no indication that NATO’s or SHAPE’s operational readiness, command and control arrangements or ongoing tasks had been affected.
“SHAPE continues to fulfill its responsibilities without interruption,” he said.
The prosecutor’s office said it would not comment further while the investigation continues.
