MPs to examine Canada’s security screening process following NATO espionage arrest

Bloc Québécois and Liberal MPs on the committee supported the plan for hearings. Bloc MP Sébastien Lemire said in French it was “an important issue, a very sensitive topic.”

The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office announced July 25 that “a Canadian national of Chinese origin” had been arrested on accusations of espionage and participation in a criminal organization.

The suspect, who has not been named by the prosecutor’s office, worked as an intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium.

The office said she came to the attention of the organization’s security services, who reported the matter to Belgium’s military intelligence agency.

A federal source not authorized to speak publicly about the issue said officials in Canada were proceeding on the basis the suspect is Biwei Zhang — also known as Claire Zhang — who was previously employed by Canadian government agencies.

A variation of the name surfaced in the media shortly after the arrest. The European publication Follow the Money and media partners Le Soir, Knack and La Lettre reported the intern’s identity as Claire Z.

The Canadian Press tried to contact Zhang via email for comment but has not received a response.

The story said she arrived in Mons in July 2025 to begin work at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe’s IT department. It also said the woman’s social media accounts showed she previously undertook a 10-month internship at the European Space Agency’s research centre in Italy and worked at the World Trade Organization in Switzerland, as well as for various Canadian government organizations.

A WTO official confirmed Claire Zhang was an intern at the organization for a short period in 2023.

A LinkedIn profile for “Claire Z” fitting the suspect’s description indicates the user holds a bachelor’s degree in applied economics from York University and a master’s degree in computer science and systems engineering from the University of Ottawa.

The profile said the user worked at the Canadian Space Agency as a systems engineer, at Statistics Canada as an economist and at the National Research Council as a data scientist.

The three federal agencies answered queries from The Canadian Press with identical responses last month.

“We take this matter very seriously,” the space agency’s Sandrine Masella said in an emailed statement.

“However, to respect the integrity of the investigation and the procedures of the Belgium Federal Police, who have not released the identity of the person in custody, we will not confirm specific details about the individual’s identity at this time.

“We will continue to collaborate domestically and with our international partners to protect national security and preserve the integrity of the investigative process.”

Court records said the Public Service Commission of Canada found in 2023 that Zhang committed fraud in an appointment process for a position with the Canada Border Services Agency. The Federal Court dismissed her application for judicial review of the decision the following year.

She submitted a letter of apology during the investigation into her actions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2026.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

MPs to examine Canada’s security screening process following NATO espionage arrest

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