A 25-year-old foreign student has been arrested in Norway, suspected of espionage and illegal eavesdropping. The arrest was executed by Norway’s domestic security agency, PST. The individual was charged in court shortly after the arrest. Details about his identity and the nation he was potentially working for remain undisclosed.
The suspect has pleaded not guilty during the initial police interrogations. PST lawyer, Thomas Blom, emphasized the early and critical stage of the ongoing investigation. The suspect is accused of utilizing technical setups for unlawful signal intelligence operations. The investigation is in a vulnerable phase, with many details still unclear.
The police confiscated several data-carrying devices from the suspect for further investigation. Despite being a student, he was not attending any educational institution in Norway. He had been residing in Norway for a short period before the arrest. The arrest order cited by NRK revealed that he was caught performing illegal surveillance near high-security government areas, including the vicinity of the prime minister’s office.
The court has ordered a four-week pretrial custody for the suspect, restricting him from receiving any visits or letters. PST highlighted that the suspect was not working solo in this operation. In past assessments, PST identified Russia, China, and North Korea as significant threats to Norway’s intelligence security, hinting at the gravity of the situation. The case brings attention to the persistent intelligence threats Norway faces from neighboring countries.