An Oslo court convicted a 28-year-old former US Embassy guard of espionage on Wednesday, finding that he spied for Russia and Iran. The court sentenced him to three years and seven months in prison.
The man, whose name remains undisclosed, admitted to the facts in the indictment but denied any criminal intent. Prosecutors said he gave Russian and Iranian agents details about diplomats, floor plans, and security procedures at the embassy, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
NRK also reported that the man’s actions were influenced by US-Israel relations and the war in Gaza, which pushed him to contact foreign governments.
Defence Claims Information Was Worthless
The man’s defence lawyers argued that the ruling raises concerns about how Norway defines espionage.
“He exaggerated his role and lied about having security clearance,” said attorney Inger Zadig from Elden Law Firm.
Zadig explained that the defendant’s access level resembled that of a janitor and that the shared information held no real value.
“Nothing he disclosed could harm any person or national security interests,” Zadig added.
The court found the defendant guilty on five espionage-related charges but acquitted him of gross corruption.
The defence team is now considering an appeal, while prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari said his office may also appeal because the state requested a longer sentence of more than six years.
Norway Tightens Security Amid Rising Espionage Cases
Police arrested the man last November while he was studying security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University (UiT). This marked the second espionage case linked to UiT in recent years.
In a separate case, authorities arrested a UiT guest researcher in 2022 who had used the alias José Assis Giammaria. Investigators later identified him as Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, a Russian intelligence officer. He was one of the individuals exchanged in a major prisoner swap between Russia and Western nations in 2023.
Norway shares a 198-kilometre border with Russia in the Arctic. Since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Oslo has restricted Russian entry and increased border surveillance. Last year, the Norwegian government considered building a fence along sections of the border to strengthen national security.
