Conviction Handed Down in Oslo Court
An Oslo court has convicted a 28-year-old Norwegian man, a former security guard at the US Embassy in Norway, of espionage. The verdict, made public on Thursday, October 16, 2025, found the man guilty of spying for both Russia and Iran. He was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison. The man's identity has not been publicly disclosed.
Details of the Espionage Activities
Prosecutors detailed that the former guard provided sensitive information to foreign intelligence services between March and November 2024. The shared data included:
- Details about embassy diplomats
- Embassy floor plans
- Security routines
- Personal details of embassy staff and their families
- Information about activities at the mission
Motivation and Defense Arguments
During the trial, the defendant admitted to his actions, stating that his motivation stemmed from a desire to protest US support for Israel's military operations in Gaza. However, he denied aggravated espionage, arguing that the material he shared was not classified and therefore 'worthless'. His defense attorneys, including Inger Zadig of Elden Law Firm, contended that he 'had roughly the same level of access as a janitor at the embassy' and that 'the information he shared was worthless and neither separately nor collectively capable of harming individuals or the security interests of any state.'
Court's Findings and Potential Appeals
Despite the defense's claims, the Oslo court ruled that the information was 'of a nature that could be used for direct actions and physical attacks against the concerned individuals' and that the accused 'understood that disclosing this information could harm US security interests.' The man was found guilty of five espionage-related charges but acquitted of gross corruption. Both the defense and the prosecution are considering appeals. Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence exceeding six years. At the time of his arrest in November 2024, the man was studying for a bachelor's degree in security and preparedness at Norway's Arctic University, UiT.
6 Comments
Karamba
The conviction is justified given the security implications for the embassy and its staff. Yet, the sentence being significantly lower than what prosecutors sought suggests the court might have acknowledged some mitigating factors, perhaps even the 'protest' aspect.
ZmeeLove
Finally, some justice for a clear act of betrayal. Security is paramount.
Muchacho
Security breaches are always serious, and he clearly violated his position. Still, the fact he was a student with limited access, coupled with his political motivations, paints a more nuanced picture than just a simple 'spy' narrative.
Coccinella
It's undeniable that selling any information to foreign powers is a serious breach of trust. However, the defense's argument about the 'worthless' nature of the data and his access level does raise questions about the true scale of the threat.
Mariposa
While his actions clearly broke the law and endangered security, his stated motivation highlights deeper geopolitical tensions. The court had to convict, but the underlying dissent is still relevant.
lettlelenok
Three years for 'worthless' information? Seems like an overreaction.