Day: July 25, 2026

A Canadian woman of Chinese origin who was interning at NATO’s military headquarters has been arrested on charges of spying, Belgian authorities said on Saturday, Report informs via Financial Times.

Belgian military intelligence and federal police launched an investigation after suspicions were raised by officials at Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Europe (SHAPE). The unnamed suspect’s home and workplace was then searched on Thursday and she was arrested the following day, they said.

“A Canadian national of Chinese origin, an intern at SHAPE, was served with an arrest warrant on Friday 24 July 2026. She is suspected of spying on behalf of a third country and of being a member of a criminal organization,” the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

It did not name the woman or provide details of the country she is suspected of spying for.

SHAPE, a sprawling military base close to Mons in western Belgium, is NATO’s military strategic headquarters, where the military alliance’s commanders plan and execute global operations and co-ordinate responses to threats.

“At this time, there is no indication that NATO or SHAPE operational readiness, command and control arrangements, or ongoing tasks have been adversely affected,” SHAPE spokesperson Martin O’Donnell said in a statement. “SHAPE continues to fulfil its responsibilities without interruption.”

Belgium, which also hosts NATO’s civilian headquarters on the outskirts of Brussels, the European Commission and dozens of other EU agencies, has previously been targeted by foreign espionage attempts.

Last year a Chinese cyber attack against its intelligence services was revealed and a Belgian police officer was detained on charges of spying for China and Russia.