Belgian security officer arrested on suspicion of spying for China

A Belgian security service officer has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, officials confirmed on Friday.

The man was detained in Brussels on Thursday and his home searched the same day. He was later released under strict conditions by an investigating judge.

According to Politico, the case concerns alleged spying for China. While the federal prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrest, it declined to specify the country involved. “It is correct that a person who is part of a security service was arrested on suspicion of espionage”, said spokesperson Yasmina Vanoverschelde to Bruzz.

One source told Politico that the officer was recruited because of his access to Brussels’ international diplomatic circles. The Belgian capital hosts the EU institutions, NATO headquarters, around 100 international organisations and some 300 foreign embassies.

The arrest comes as Belgium’s intelligence agencies face growing scrutiny. Earlier this year, newspaper Le Soir revealed that Chinese hackers had breached state security systems between 2021 and 2023, in what was described as the agency’s largest-ever data leak.

^{© BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE}