Belgium residents react to arrest of Canadian NATO intern
A Canadian intern at NATO headquarters in Belgium is being detained while authorities investigate allegations of espionage involving China. The case has caused significant intrigue and concern among staff at the SHAPE facility, though official details remain scarce.
Why it matters
The incident highlights potential security vulnerabilities within international defense organizations and geopolitical tensions regarding espionage.
Biwei Zhang, who also goes by the name Claire Zhang, is being held in prison while Brussels police investigate whether she passed on information to China, reports say. Hussein Malla/The Associated Press
The arrest of a Canadian intern on allegations of spying has been the talk of NATO headquarters in Belgium this week, but beyond the water-cooler gossip, not much is known about what she may have done.
Biwei Zhang, who also goes by the name Claire Zhang, is being held in prison while Brussels police investigate whether she passed on information to China, reports say, while working at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, or SHAPE. Police have offered few details about the case and Ms. Zhang has not been charged.
But for many of the 15,000 people who work at SHAPE, the intrigue has become all consuming.
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