Extended custody of a Norwegian spy

Borgarting Court of Appeal in OsloBorgarting Court of Appeal in Oslo.Photo: Trond Reidar Teigen / NTB

The Norwegian, who in August was charged with sharing state secrets, can be held in custody until 12 October.

This appears in a ruling from the Borgarting Court of Appeal, writes E24.

The Oslo District Court wanted to release the man, but the decision was appealed by the Court of Appeal by the prosecuting authority.

The Court of Appeal believes, in contrast to the district court, that there is a danger of evidence being lost and has therefore given permission to keep the man in custody until the court decides otherwise, but no longer than until 12 October.

The accused’s defense counsel, lawyer Marianne Darre-Næss, writes in an SMS to E24 that they will consider whether there are grounds for appealing the ruling further.

The man has been banned from letters and visits and media bans throughout his prison period.

Extended charge
The man was initially charged with violation of the Penal Code sections 123 and 124, which deal with the disclosure of state secrets and gross disclosure of state secrets, respectively.

Ahead of the imprisonment meeting in Oslo District Court on Tuesday, the charge was extended to also include gross corruption.

– “The charge includes gross corruption, among other things because he has held a trusted position in a company that manages important assets,” says police attorney Line Nyvoll Nygaard in PST to E24.

Does not admit guilt
It was on Saturday 15 August that the man in his 50s was arrested by the Police Security Service (PST) at a restaurant in Oslo. He was then with what PST believes a Russian intelligence officer.

The man was employed by DNV GL (formerly Det Norske Veritas), where he worked with material technology and 3D printing in the oil and gas field.

The accused has not pleaded guilty but has in interrogation admitted that he has received money to provide information.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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