Suspected spy arrested in Sweden
A man suspected of espionage has been arrested in Sweden, the country's intelligence agency Säpo said on Thursday, refusing to disclose details of the case.
"A foreigner has been arrested on suspicion of espionage," Säpo spokesman Jakob Larsson told the media.
Larsson would not disclose the man's identity or nationality. Nor would he reveal what kind of espionage the man was suspected of carrying out.
"Unfortunately I can't disclose any more information can be disclosed due to the Official Secrets Act," he said.
Other than the fact that the suspect is a foreign citizen, Säpo was being highly secretive, as always when a case involves counter-espionage operations. The security police include in their counter-espionage work all forms of tracking of suspected intelligence operations.
The most common forms of espionage in Sweden are aimed at the military, high technology industries or foreigners - who are being tracked by the security services from their home countries.
Neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the military, the Ministry of Defence or defence industry giant Saab will admit to knowing anything about this latest case.
There are no accessible statistics on spying in Sweden and not all cases which are revealed become public, with foreign diplomats occasionally discreetly leaving the country. The fact that the man has been arrested and held in custody indicates that he is not a diplomat.
Chief prosecutor Tomas Lindstrand has asked the Stockholm district court to hold the man in preventive custody, and the court is expected to hear arguments concerning that request on Friday, Larsson said.
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"A foreigner has been arrested on suspicion of espionage," Säpo spokesman Jakob Larsson told the media.
Larsson would not disclose the man's identity or nationality. Nor would he reveal what kind of espionage the man was suspected of carrying out.
"Unfortunately I can't disclose any more information can be disclosed due to the Official Secrets Act," he said.
Other than the fact that the suspect is a foreign citizen, Säpo was being highly secretive, as always when a case involves counter-espionage operations. The security police include in their counter-espionage work all forms of tracking of suspected intelligence operations.
The most common forms of espionage in Sweden are aimed at the military, high technology industries or foreigners - who are being tracked by the security services from their home countries.
Neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the military, the Ministry of Defence or defence industry giant Saab will admit to knowing anything about this latest case.
There are no accessible statistics on spying in Sweden and not all cases which are revealed become public, with foreign diplomats occasionally discreetly leaving the country. The fact that the man has been arrested and held in custody indicates that he is not a diplomat.
Chief prosecutor Tomas Lindstrand has asked the Stockholm district court to hold the man in preventive custody, and the court is expected to hear arguments concerning that request on Friday, Larsson said.
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