A Norwegian appeals court has upheld a lower court’s decision to sentence a former guard at the US Embassy in Oslo to prison for spying. The appeals court reduced the jail term by a month, though, and the case is likely to end up at Norway’s Supreme Court.
The former guard, a Norwegian citizen in his 20s, now faces three years and six months in jail after the appeals court supported his conviction. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported on Tuesday that he has admitted to sharing information from his work at the embassy with both Russian and Iranian intelligence agents.
He maintains, however, that he didn’t commit any crimes, claiming he never shared anything deemed confidential or that “could damage important national interests.” Much of the information reportedly involved who was coming and going at the embassy while he was on duty.
The former security guard has acknowledged most of the factual information brought up in court so far. He also admitted that the US’ attitudes tied to the conflict between Israel and Palestine prompted him to contact Russian agents first, and then Iranian agents.
He testified in court that he first met his Russian contact in Serbia in 2024. The Russian was later identified by Norway’s domestic police intelligence agency PST as former diplomat Vladimir Kalinov.
The former security guard further claimed that he embellished some of the information provided to the Russians and Iranians, to make it seem more interesting. He denies, however, that the information he passed on could have seriously hurt the Americans. His defense attorney stressed to NRK on Tuesday that the security guard’s sentence in the appeals court was reduced by one month.
“We note that the court believes our client has neither held nor spread any confidential material,” defense attorney John Christian Elden told NRK, “but the court deems the gathering of information to spread further as being punishable by law.” Even though the sentence was slightly reduced, Elden said he expects to take the case to the Supreme Court.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
