Ottawa to Review Past Work of NATO Intern Arrested in Belgium
Canadian security agencies will examine the activities in Canada of the NATO intern arrested in July by Belgian authorities on espionage charges.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree confirmed the review in testimony to the House of Commons public safety committee. He said Canada is also assisting Belgium with its investigation into the intern's conduct at NATO. The Globe and Mail
The intern is 33-year-old Biwei Zhang, who also uses the English name Claire. She previously worked at the Canadian Space Agency, Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada.
Ottawa granted Zhang clearance to start an internship at NATO headquarters in Mons, Belgium. Global Affairs Canada issued the clearance after checks by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP. The usual level for a NATO internship is secret, a mid-level clearance that can allow access to sensitive operational information.
Anandasangaree said he was told days before Zhang's arrest that she faced spying allegations. He did not detail the briefing. He said once Belgium concludes its investigation, there would probably be more work in Canada for law enforcement to undertake.
The broader context here is how the work is divided between the two countries. Belgium leads the criminal case while its prosecution is active. Canada is in a supporting role abroad and is preparing for any follow-up at home.
On screening, Anandasangaree told the committee that the government's security screening processes are being reviewed internally. He said his department has made changes to security screening processes. He did not specify the changes in the material provided.
When asked whether the government is reviewing Zhang's activities in the federal departments where she previously worked, Anandasangaree said "the respective agencies" would look into the matter. That means each organization that employed her will check its own files, rather than one central audit.
Arrest and allegation
Zhang was arrested in Belgium in July as an intern at NATO's military headquarters. A Belgian prosecutor later said her pretrial custody, which is detention before trial, was extended. Reuters
Belgian authorities did not initially name the country she was suspected of spying for. The New York Times Two sources later told Reuters that investigators suspect she was working for China. Reuters Security sources speaking to European media described allegedly suspicious behaviour, as reported in Canada by CBC. CBC
Belgium controls the criminal case and the evidence collected at Mons. Canada controls personnel security files, prior employment records and any domestic follow-on investigation.
Parliamentary scrutiny
MPs agreed in August to examine Ottawa's screening and monitoring protocols after the arrest. The House public safety committee voted to investigate the vetting of the accused intern. National Post
A separate report at the time described the decision as an urgent probe into security screening. The Globe and Mail
Anandasangaree's October appearance was the government's first detailed accounting to that committee of what was known before the arrest and what has changed since.
Secret is not the highest tier in the Canadian system. It still governs access to operationally sensitive NATO material.
The broader context for screening practice is three open questions. First, what did the pre-placement checks cover across three prior federal employers, and what follow-up, if any, applied after clearance. Second, how information about suspicious behaviour at Mons flowed back to Ottawa, and how quickly. Third, what threshold would trigger a domestic security investigation alongside a foreign prosecution, given the risk of affecting allied evidence. An insider case at this level puts pressure on sponsor vetting, host-nation monitoring and the speed of allied notification. Attention will focus on whether the internal review looks at initial vetting alone, or at postings, travel, contacts and data access as well.
Belgium proceeds. Ottawa assists. Canadian law enforcement waits for the Belgian record before determining its own scope. Parliament continues its vetting review. None of those tracks has produced a finding of fact in Canada about Zhang's prior federal work. The agencies assigned to look will determine whether that changes.
