A Norwegian court in Oslo convicted a 28-year-old former security guard at the US Embassy of spying for Russia and Iran. Judges sentenced him to three years and seven months in prison.
The man admitted the facts of the indictment but denied any criminal wrongdoing. Prosecutors said he provided details about diplomats, embassy floor plans, and security routines, according to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
NRK reported that the man contacted Russian and Iranian officials after becoming upset over US ties to Israel and the war in Gaza.
Defence Lawyers Question Definition of Espionage
In a Thursday statement, the man’s defence attorneys argued that the verdict blurred the legal definition of espionage.
“He lied about his security clearance and exaggerated his role,” said attorney Inger Zadig from Elden Law Firm.
Zadig said the man had “the same access level as a janitor” and that the information he shared “held no value” or ability to harm national interests.
The court found him guilty of five espionage-related charges but cleared him of gross corruption. His lawyers are now considering an appeal.
Prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari said his team might also appeal because the state had requested over six years in prison.
Espionage Case Highlights Rising Tensions with Russia
Police arrested the man last November while he studied for a bachelor’s degree in security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University (UiT). This marks the second espionage case involving UiT in recent years, NRK said.
In 2022, police arrested a UiT guest researcher who used the alias José Assis Giammaria but was later revealed to be Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, a Russian national. He was among those exchanged in a major prisoner swap between the West and Russia last year.
Norway shares a 198-kilometre border with Russia in the Arctic. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Norway has tightened entry restrictions on Russian citizens.
Last year, the Norwegian government announced plans to build a fence along parts of the border to enhance national security.
