Canada’s Prime Minister says officials were involved from the outset in NATO intern spy probe
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canadian authorities have been part of the investigation into a Canadian intern accused of espionage at NATO’s headquarters in Belgium.
Belgian authorities arrested a Canadian citizen, identified by media as systems engineer Biwei Zhang, on allegations of espionage while she was an intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canadian security officials have been engaged in the matter from the start, though he declined to comment further pending the court process. The RCMP has confirmed cooperation with Belgian investigators, and the woman remains in custody awaiting a closed-door hearing in Brussels.
Security sources said the intern displayed unusually inquisitive behavior, accessing restricted IT areas and files beyond her clearance. Experts noted that such breaches at NATO are rare, recalling only a handful of comparable cases dating back to the Cold War. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about the alliance’s internal security safeguards.