Norwegian Ex-Security Guard Convicted of Espionage for Russia, Iran

Oslo, October 16 (AP) — A former security guard at the United States Embassy in Norway has been found guilty of espionage on Wednesday, with the Oslo court ruling that he spied for Russia and Iran. The 28-year-old Norwegian, whose identity remains undisclosed, received a prison sentence of three years and seven months.

Despite acknowledging the factual basis of the indictment, he maintained his innocence regarding criminal liability. Prosecutors accused the man of sharing sensitive details about the embassy, including information on diplomats, floor plans, and security protocols, as reported by Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. Allegedly, the individual's motivation stemmed from U.S. ties to Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which led him to contact Russian and Iranian entities.

Defense attorneys expressed concerns on Thursday, questioning the boundaries of espionage as defined by Norwegian law. "He falsely claimed to possess security clearance to foreign agents and exaggerated his responsibilities," noted attorney Inger Zadig of Elden Law Firm. "He had access comparable to that of a janitor at the embassy. The information he shared was trivial and incapable of compromising individuals or any nation’s security interests."

Convicted on five counts related to espionage, he was cleared of gross corruption charges. His legal team is contemplating an appeal against the verdict, while prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari disclosed that they might also consider challenging the sentence, having initially sought over six years of imprisonment.

The man was apprehended last November, amidst his pursuit of a bachelor's degree in security and preparedness at UiT, the Arctic University of Norway. NRK highlights this as the second such espionage incident involving UiT in recent times.

Previously, a significant prisoner exchange between the West and Russia included a UiT guest researcher. While initially believed to be Brazilian, named Jose Assis Giammaria, authorities later identified him as Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, a Russian citizen apprehended in 2022 over espionage charges.

Norway shares a 198-kilometer border with Russia in the Arctic. Since the inception of Russia's comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Norway has severely limited Russian nationals' entry. Last year, the Norwegian government announced it was mulling the construction of a border fence with Russia.

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