A former security guard at the US Embassy in Norway is accused of spying for Russia and Iran
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A former security guard at the US Embassy in Norway is accused of spying for Russia and Iran
A former security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Norway has been indicted on suspicion of espionage. The man allegedly spied for Russia and Iran. He is accused of handing over details about the embassy’s diplomats, its floor plans and security routines. His defense attorney, Inger Zadig, told NRK that her client acknowledges the indictment’s facts but denies guilt. The defendant faces up to 21 years in prison.
A former security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Norway has been indicted by prosecutors there on suspicion of espionage after he allegedly spied for Russia and Iran, according to state broadcaster NRK on Wednesday.
The Norwegian man, whose name has not been made public, was arrested last November on suspicion of having damaged national security. He is accused of handing over details about the embassy’s diplomats, its floor plans and security routines, among other things, NRK reported.
His defense attorney, Inger Zadig, told NRK that her client acknowledges the indictment’s facts but denies guilt.
The broadcaster reported that America’s ties to Israel and the war in Gaza prompted the man to contact Russia and Iran.
The defendant faces up to 21 years in prison, NRK reported.
The U.S. Embassy, the prosecutor’s office and Zadig did not respond to The Associated Press’ requests for comment.
At the time of his arrest, the man had been studying for a bachelor’s degree in security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University, UiT.
It is a second such case at UiT in recent years, according to NRK.
One of the people the West swapped with Russia in a major prisoner exchange last year was a UiT guest researcher who claimed to be a Brazilian named José Assis Giammaria, arrested on espionage allegations in 2022. The police revealed him to be Russian, Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin.
Norway has a 198-kilometer (123-mile) long border with Russia in the Arctic. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Norway has heavily restricted entry for Russian nationals.
Last year, the Norwegian government said it was considering a plan to build a fence along all or part of its border with Russia.
US embassy guard in Norway charged with spying for Russia and Iran
The 27-year-old man was allegedly paid in euros and bitcoin for providing information on embassy activities. He is accused of having supplied either the Russians or the Iranians with the contact details of diplomats, embassy staff and their families. If convicted of the charges laid against him, he could spend up to 21 years in jail, the prosecution service said. The man has acknowledged what he did but rejected the charges, his lawyer said.
The 27-year-old man was allegedly paid in euros and bitcoin for providing information on embassy activities.
OSLO – A Norwegian who worked as a security agent at the US embassy in Oslo has been charged with spying for Russia and Iran, according to a legal document received by AFP on July 23.
The 27-year-old man is accused of having supplied information on embassy activities between March 2024 and Nov 20, the date of his arrest, according to the charge sheet.
In return, he was paid in euros and bitcoin.
He is accused of having supplied either the Russians or the Iranians – or both – with the contact details of diplomats, embassy staff and their families.
He is also accused of having supplied the diplomatic licence-plate numbers of vehicles used by the embassy.
The charge sheet also alleges he handed over the plans of the embassy, security routines and a list of couriers Norway’s intelligence service used.
These were serious acts “notably because the aim was to reveal information to a foreign state”, said the Norwegian prosecution service in the indictment, dated July 22.
The man has acknowledged what he did but rejected the charges laid against him, said his lawyer, Ms Inger Zadig, broadcaster TV2 reported.
He is also accused of having tried to hide some of the money he received, which came to more than €17,000 (S$25,000), by putting it into the bank accounts of other people in his circle.
If convicted of the charges laid against him, he could spend up to 21 years in jail, the prosecution service told AFP.
Norway’s intelligence service has regularly accused Russia, Iran and China as being the greatest threats to the country so far as spying is concerned.
Nato member Norway shares a land border with Russia in the Arctic. AFP