Authorities in Norway have arrested a 25-year-old foreign student on suspicion of espionage, including illegal eavesdropping through various technical devices. The man, whose identity has not been revealed, is of Malaysian origin, according to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. However, there is no suspicion that Malaysia is involved in the espionage activities.
The Norwegian domestic security agency, known as PST, stated that the man was charged with espionage and intelligence operations against Norway. He was arrested on Friday and appeared in court on Sunday. During initial police questioning, the suspect pleaded not guilty. The authorities have not disclosed the country he was allegedly spying for.
PST lawyer Thomas Blom expressed uncertainty about the situation, stating, “We don’t quite know what we’re facing. We are in a critical, initial, and vulnerable phase of the investigation.” The suspect is accused of using technical installations for illegal signal intelligence.
Police have confiscated several data-carrying electronic devices from the suspect, which are now being investigated by PST. The man is a student but is not enrolled at any educational institution in Norway. He has been residing in the country for a relatively short period of time.
According to NRK, the arrest order revealed that the suspect was allegedly conducting illegal signal surveillance in a rental car near the Norwegian prime minister’s office and the defense ministry. The court has ordered the suspect to be held in pretrial custody for four weeks, with restrictions on receiving letters and visits. Security officials have mentioned that the suspect was not operating alone.
PST has previously identified Russia, China, and North Korea as state actors posing a significant intelligence threat to Norway, a nation with a population of 5.4 million.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
