The Belgian security officer who was arrested and indicted for espionage last week worked for the City of Brussels local police unit, local media reported and one person with knowledge of the case confirmed to POLITICO.
The individual, who is believed to have been co-opted for his access to the international diplomatic world in Brussels, was arrested last Thursday and later released under strict restrictions, POLITICO first reported.
A spokesperson for the local police service overseeing the City of Brussels — the largest of 19 municipalities in the Belgian capital’s metropolitan area — and Ixelles said they “can confirm that an internal investigation is currently underway.”
“We will not comment further while the process is ongoing. Appropriate measures will be taken based on the conclusions of this inquiry,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The federal prosecutor’s office and federal police services declined to comment.
The City of Brussels police unit also oversees the areas around the European Union institutions in Brussels.
The charges relate to spying for China, one of the people told POLITICO earlier, adding that the officer is also being investigated as to whether he additionally spied for Russia.
The arrest comes amid mounting pressure on Belgium’s security agencies. In February, Belgian publication Le Soir revealed that Chinese hackers had infiltrated state security systems between 2021 and 2023, in what is considered the agency’s largest-ever data breach.
The post Belgian police officer charged with spying appeared first on Politico.
