Belgian security service officer arrested over alleged espionage for China

A staff member of Belgium’s security service has been arrested and charged with espionage.

According to Ukrinform, Politico reported this, citing two individuals familiar with the case.

The man was detained on Thursday, and his home was searched the same day. Later, an investigating judge released him “under strict conditions.”

According to one of the sources, the charges are linked to spying for China. The man—whose exact role within Belgium’s national security system has not been disclosed—was reportedly recruited through his connections in Brussels’ international diplomatic circles.

Brussels hosts numerous EU institutions, the NATO headquarters, around 100 international organizations, and 300 foreign diplomatic missions.

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The arrest comes amid increasing pressure on Belgium’s intelligence services. In February, the Belgian newspaper Le Soir reported that Chinese cyber actors had infiltrated government systems between 2021 and 2023, marking the agency’s largest-ever data breach.

As reported by Ukrinform, in 2023, investigative journalists from three countries exposed a Belgian national lawmaker for spying on behalf of Chinese intelligence.

Photo: Facebook / Diplomatie.Belgium