Wisma Putra confirms arrest of Malaysian in Norway on espionage charges

PUTRAJAYA: Wisma Putra confirms that a Malaysian has been arrested in Norway on suspicion of espionage.

The Foreign Ministry said the Malaysian Embassy in Stockholm is in contact with authorities in Oslo to obtain information on the case.

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“The ministry will monitor the development of the case and will extend the appropriate consular services, if needed,” it said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 12).

It was earlier reported that a 25-year-old student was arrested in Norway on suspicion of espionage, including illegal eavesdropping, using various devices.

Norway’s domestic security agency, known by its acronym PST, told Norwegian media that the man, who was arrested on Friday (Sept 8), was charged in court on Sunday (Sept 10) with espionage and intelligence operations against the Nordic country.

"We don’t quite know what we’re facing. We are in a critical, initial and vulnerable phase of the investigation,” PST lawyer Thomas Blom was quoted as saying by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.

"He (the suspect) was charged with using technical installations for illegal signal intelligence.”

Police also seized a number of data-carrying electronic devices from the suspect, which the PST is now investigating.

The suspect is a student, but he’s not enrolled at an educational institution in Norway, and has been living in Norway for a relatively short time, according to PST.

The suspect had allegedly been caught conducting illegal signal surveillance in a rental car near the Norwegian Prime Minister’s office and the defence ministry.

According to a court decision, the man has been imprisoned in pretrial custody for four weeks and banned from receiving letters and visits. Security officials said the suspect did not operate alone.