Amidst growing espionage threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, Norwegian domestic security agencies announced on Tuesday (July 2) that a Norwegian citizen has been arrested on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities for the CCP.
According to the Associated Press, Thomas Blom, a prosecutor with the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), stated, “We are still in the initial phase. Therefore, we are keeping tight-lipped for now. We will not disclose too many details about this case.”
The suspect, a man, is believed to be involved in serious intelligence activities related to national secrets and is currently in custody pending a four-week trial.
“It concerns national security,” Blom said, revealing that the man was arrested at Oslo International Airport on Monday morning after returning from “China.”
Blom mentioned that the arrest operation did not attract much attention, but this suspect is “well-known,” and he refused to divulge further details.
“We believe the information he holds is a target of the Chinese (CCP) intelligence agencies,” he added.
Local news agency NTB reported on Tuesday, citing PST, that a Norwegian citizen was arrested on Monday for allegedly engaging in espionage activities that “could benefit China (CCP).”
A spokesperson for the Oslo Police Department stated that the unnamed suspect appeared in court at the Oslo courthouse on Tuesday at 13:00 local time (11:00 Greenwich Mean Time).
If convicted, the man could face up to 10 years in prison.
The suspect’s lawyer, Marius Dietrichson, told the Associated Press that his client denies being a Chinese spy and will plead not guilty.
This arrest comes as Oslo predicts that Beijing will pose an intelligence threat this year.
In its annual threat assessment report, PST pointed out, “By 2024, China (CCP) will pose a significant intelligence threat.”
In the assessment report released by PST in February of this year, it was also mentioned, “This is mainly due to the deteriorating relationship between China (CCP) and the West, China’s desire for more control over supply chains, and its positioning in the Arctic region.”
Norway and Russia share a border stretching 198 kilometers (approximately 123 miles) in the Arctic. In recent years, Norway has arrested several individuals suspected of engaging in foreign intelligence activities.