Belgian authorities have arrested a Canadian woman on suspicion of espionage while she was working as an intern at the operational headquarters of the NATO military alliance.
Federal prosecutors announced Saturday that an espionage investigation was launched after NATO's security services alerted Belgian military intelligence. The suspect, identified as a Canadian citizen of Chinese origin, was detained on Friday following raids on her home and workplace within NATO's SHAPE command center in Mons, Belgium.
"She is suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organization," the prosecutors' office said in a statement. SHAPE, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, is responsible for planning and commanding joint strategies, tactics, and operations for the alliance.
Both Canada and Belgium are members of the 32-nation NATO alliance. In 2021, NATO collectively labeled China a "security challenge," citing concerns over its opaque military development and disinformation campaigns that challenge the rules-based international order.
The arrest occurs at a time when NATO faces external pressures, including recent criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding European defense spending and U.S. commitment to the alliance. Trump has urged allies to increase defense investments, with NATO nations agreeing last year to commit 5% of their gross domestic product to defense spending.