Canadian intern at NATO military headquarters in Belgium faces spying charges

Canadian intern at NATO military headquarters in Belgium faces spying charges

Woman's suspected of spying on behalf of a 3rd country, with links to criminal organization

A Canadian woman of Chinese origin who was an intern at NATO's military headquarters in Belgium has been arrested on spying 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.

CBC News reached out to Belgium's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office for more information.

The woman was as an intern at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in the Belgian city of Mons, it said. No further details of her identity or the country or organization she's suspected of spying for were given.

SHAPE is NATO's top military headquarters, the base of Allied Command Operations, which is responsible for planning and carrying out all operations of the 32-member transatlantic security alliance.

The suspect had come to the attention of SHAPE’s security services, which reported her to Belgian intelligence officials, according to the statement.

Investigators searched the suspect's home and her workplace at SHAPE, and she was placed under arrest on Friday.

A SHAPE spokesperson said there was no indication that NATO or SHAPE operational readiness, command and control arrangements or ongoing tasks had been affected.

"SHAPE continues to fulfil its responsibilities without interruption."

The prosecutor's office said it would make no further comment as investigations continued.

CBC News also is working to contact the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Department of National Defence, and will update this story with any response.

With files from CBC's Anya Zoledziowski