A court in Oslo convicted a 28-year-old Norwegian man on Wednesday for spying on behalf of Russia and Iran. The man, a former security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Norway, received a three-year and seven-month prison sentence for espionage.
Prosecutors said he provided details about embassy diplomats, floor plans, and security routines, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. They said he knowingly handed over sensitive information that could expose U.S. operations in Norway.
The man admitted to the facts of the indictment but denied criminal guilt. NRK reported that he contacted Russian and Iranian officials after becoming angry about U.S. ties to Israel and the war in Gaza.
Defence Challenges Definition of Espionage
In a Thursday statement, his defence attorneys questioned Norway’s interpretation of espionage law. They argued that the man lacked high-level access and that the information he shared posed no real threat.
“He lied about having security clearance and exaggerated his role,” said Inger Zadig, attorney at Elden Law Firm.
“He had roughly the same access as a janitor. The material he shared was worthless and could not endanger any state.”
The court found him guilty on five espionage-related charges but acquitted him of gross corruption. His lawyers are considering an appeal, while prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari said his team might appeal the sentence for being shorter than the six-year term requested by the state.
Espionage Cases Raise Security Concerns in Norway
Police arrested the man last November while he was studying for a bachelor’s degree in security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University (UiT). This marks the second espionage case at UiT in recent years, according to NRK.
One of the individuals exchanged in a prisoner swap with Russia last year was a UiT guest researcher who posed as a Brazilian named José Assis Giammaria. Authorities later identified him as Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, a Russian national accused of espionage.
Norway shares a 198-kilometre Arctic border with Russia and has tightened border controls since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the Norwegian government announced plans to build a fence along parts of the frontier to strengthen security and limit Russian entry.
