OSLO, Norway (AP) — A former security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Norway has been indicted by prosecutors there on suspicion of espionage after allegedly spying for Russia and Iran, according to state broadcaster NRK on Wednesday.
The Norwegian man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was taken into custody last November under the suspicion of compromising national security. The accusations against him include providing sensitive information regarding the embassy’s diplomats, floor plans, and security procedures, as reported by NRK.
Inger Zadig, the defendant’s attorney, confirmed that her client accepts the facts presented in the indictment but refutes any charges of criminal wrongdoing.
NRK highlighted that the man’s outreach to Russia and Iran was a reaction to the U.S.’s relationships with Israel and the conflict in Gaza.
If found guilty, the defendant could face a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison, as per NRK.
Neither the U.S. Embassy nor the prosecutor’s office responded to requests for comments from AP.
At the time of his arrest, the accused was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in security and preparedness at UiT, the Arctic University in Norway. This incident represents the second espionage case involving UiT in recent years, noted NRK.
In a previous extensive prisoner exchange between Western nations and Russia, a person who claimed to be a Brazilian guest researcher at UiT under the guise of José Assis Giammaria was identified as Russian, revealed as Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin by the authorities.
Given Norway’s close proximity to Russia, especially in the Arctic region, the country tightened restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Additionally, there were discussions last year regarding the potential construction of a fence along portions of the 198-kilometer long border shared by Norway and Russia.
