The Norwegian citizen in his 20s, accused of being a spy, is a student at UiT – Norway’s Arctic University. The university itself confirms this on its website. – UiT cannot answer questions related to matters that are of importance to the investigation. These must be directed to the police and public prosecutor’s office, the university writes on its website. The university states that the Norwegian is a student on the combined bachelor’s degree in security and preparedness. – UiT was not aware that the arrest was to take place and has also not received any information indicating that the arrest or the charge is linked to the fact that the person in question is a student at UiT, writes the university. According to the study description, you will learn about how Norway’s preparedness against unwanted incidents is organised, at national and municipal level. In addition, you will learn about the organization and political management of total defense in the northern areas. It is possible to take the course over four years. Russia and Iran It was on Wednesday that the Norwegian citizen in his 20s was arrested at home in his own garage. Charged with gross intelligence activity against state secrets. In the ruling from the district court, it is revealed, among other things, that the police have found an assignment dialogue with a guidance officer. A guidance officer is a person who instructs and directs a spy. The man in his 20s has admitted that he has collected and shared information with Russian and Iranian authorities, the ruling states. – It is too early to say what has been shared and what has been attempted to be shared, says Thomas Blom in the Police Security Service (PST) at a press conference on Thursday evening. The American Embassy in Oslo. Here, the accused spy worked as a security guard, confirms PST. Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB PST confirmed on Thursday that the man was employed as a security guard at the American embassy. According to Blom, PST has good cooperation with the American authorities on the matter. A case PST has been investigating since Monday this week, and where there are currently no more suspects in the case. The man was remanded in custody for four weeks on Thursday with a ban on letters and visits. He must also be isolated from other inmates for the first week. Police prosecutor Thomas Blom in PST answered questions from news after the press conference about the Norwegian accused of spying. Denies criminal responsibility The man in his 20s, who is therefore a student at UiT, runs a security company together with a man with both Norwegian and Eastern European citizenship. As news was able to mention on Thursday, the company is approved by the police to run security, escort services and control services in Oslo. – Has he worked for the American embassy? – He has worked for a foreign country, said the man’s defender John Christian Elden to news on Thursday afternoon. DENIES CRIMINAL GUILTY: John Christian Elden, who defends the accused spy, states that his client denies criminal guilt. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB He states that his client does not plead guilty, but agrees to imprisonment for two weeks. – He is charged with having obtained information that could harm the security situation of third countries, and the question is whether the information he is sitting on is of such a nature. – So he has not acknowledged that he is a spy? – No. He has consented to custody based on the information picture that is now available, and then we must come back to whether this is affected by the provisions of the Criminal Code. Published 22.11.2024, at 11.38 Updated 22.11.2024, at 12.08
ttn-69
The Norwegian, targeted for espionage, is a student at UiT – news Troms and Finnmark
