Spies from 19 nations in Norway
19 foreign countries are conducting intelligence against Norway on Norwegian soil, the Norwegian Police Security Service says. Some are here legally, while others pose as diplomats, journalists or business people.
This is the first time the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) says anything about the extent of foreign espionage in Norway, TV2 reports.
- I think you can say that espionage in Norway is on a higher level than during the Cold War period, head of PST Janne Kristiansen says.
According to PST the 19 nations with intelligence personnel in Norway have various interests. Some are interested in Norwegian technology; others are interested in Norwegian security policy and military installations.
PST does not want to name any of the countries they believe are spying against Norway, but says that some of them are offensively trying to recruit Norwegians.
In 2008 PST warned the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs against Russian intelligence representatives trying to get sensitive information from ministry employees.
