The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced on Monday that an individual suspected of spying for a foreign state — a Canadian national of Chinese descent — will remain in pre‑trial detention.
The Belgian Indictments Chamber dismissed the woman’s appeal in a closed‑door hearing and extended her pre‑trial detention by one month, according to a Federal Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson.
In July, Belgian authorities announced the arrest of an individual accused of spying for a foreign nation and involvement in a criminal organisation, ordering that she remain in custody pending trial.
The action followed a police raid on her apartment in Mons and on the office of NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The country for which she is alleged to have spied and the specific information sought have not been confirmed, though concerns persist about the incident’s potential impact on NATO operations and broader European security.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson said the investigation remains ongoing and no trial date has been scheduled.
The individual — identified by Reuters as a woman in her thirties, named Claire Z — is alleged to have conducted espionage activities during a six‑month internship at SHAPE.
SHAPE serves as the venue where political decisions made by NATO ambassadors and other officials in Brussels are translated into military operations by the Alliance’s military leadership.
A SHAPE spokesperson told Euronews that there was “no indication” the alleged activity had disrupted NATO’s military operations.
Candidates for the internship programme must obtain the appropriate security clearance from their national authorities before participating.
Euronews previously sought comment from Canada’s foreign affairs ministry regarding cooperation with Belgian authorities in the investigation, but received no response.
Canada’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said that, upon the initial reporting, the government was committed to thoroughly investigating the arrest and preventing a recurrence.
He added that the country will continue to examine its security screening processes.