Espionage at NATO underscores a growing security threat

Kenneth Lasoen, lecturer in Intelligence and Security Studies at the University of Antwerp and expert at the Security Intelligence Knowledge Centre, stated during a VRTradio broadcast that organisations such as NATO are regularly confronted with espionage. Lasoen made this remark after it emerged that, at NATO’s main military headquarters in Mons (Belgium), also known as SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), a Canadian woman of Chinese origin had been arrested. The woman had only recently started working there as an intern and is suspected of espionage and participation in a criminal organisation. More information about this case can be found in the Le Monde article: ‘‘NATO: suspicions of espionage at the headquarters of the organisation’s military command’.

Luister hier het audiofragment van Kenneth Lasoen bij een radioprogramma van de VRT 

Belgium and NATO as attractive targets

According to Lasoen, this case has certainly not come out of the blue. During the broadcast, he said: “NATO is, of course, a primary target for a number of countries, especially our strategic adversaries.” NATO institutions, as well as the European Union, have long been attractive targets for foreign intelligence services. Belgium holds a particular position in this respect. Due to the presence of international organisations, diplomatic missions and military structures, a large amount of politically, militarily and strategically relevant information is concentrated here within a relatively small geographical area. This makes the country and its institutions especially attractive to state actors seeking to gather intelligence.

Infiltration through an intern as a classic method

In the broadcast, Lasoen pointed out that using an intern for infiltration is not an unusual exception, but rather fits a well-known pattern. As he himself stated: “That is, of course, a classic method of infiltrating an organisation.” Even someone in what appears to be a modest position may gain access to internal networks, processes, individuals and information. Within SHAPE, moreover, this does not concern random data, but information that may be of great value to foreign powers, such as defence plans, technical documentation, equipment data and broader operational insights.

A broader trend

Lasoen clearly places this incident within a wider pattern. In recent years, several espionage cases have come to light, showing that this threat is not incidental but structural in nature. He also notes that some operations appear less subtle than they once were. That does not mean the threat is smaller; rather, it shows that states and networks continue actively to look for opportunities to penetrate vital organisations. At the same time, this case highlights the continuing importance of security measures. Screening, internal procedures, monitoring and counter-intelligence remain essential in order to intervene in time. The fact that the suspect was identified relatively quickly shows that vigilance works. NATO has also stated that operational readiness, command structures and ongoing tasks have not been affected.