A court in Oslo convicted a 28-year-old former U.S. Embassy security guard of espionage on Wednesday. Judges ruled that the Norwegian man spied for Russia and Iran, sentencing him to three years and seven months in prison.
Prosecutors said he shared information about the embassy’s diplomats, floor plans, and security routines, according to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. The man admitted to the facts in the indictment but denied committing any crime.
NRK reported that his anger over U.S. ties to Israel and the war in Gaza drove him to contact Russian and Iranian agents.
“He provided sensitive details about embassy operations,” prosecutors said. “These included security measures, staff information, and internal layouts.”
Defence Disputes Espionage Definition
The man’s defence attorneys argued that the case raised questions about what qualifies as espionage under Norwegian law.
Attorney Inger Zadig of Elden Law Firm said the man exaggerated his importance and misled foreign agents about his clearance level.
“He had the same access as a janitor,” Zadig said. “The information was worthless and incapable of harming anyone or any state.”
The court found him guilty on five espionage-related charges but acquitted him of gross corruption. His defence team is now deciding whether to appeal.
Prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari said his team may also appeal because the state sought a longer sentence of over six years.
Espionage Cases Raise Alarms in Norway
Police arrested the man in November while he was studying security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University (UiT). This marks the second espionage case linked to UiT in recent years, according to NRK.
Last year, one of the prisoners exchanged between the West and Russia was a UiT guest researcher posing as a Brazilian named José Assis Giammaria. Investigators later revealed him as a Russian spy, Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin.
Norway shares a 198-kilometre Arctic border with Russia and has tightened entry restrictions on Russian citizens since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The Norwegian government also announced plans to build a fence along part of the border to strengthen national security amid growing espionage concerns.
