Arrest of Dutch teenagers in a spy case linked to Russia
Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested two 17-year-old teenagers on charges of involvement in a spying case allegedly linked to Russia. The public prosecutor confirmed that the charges relate to "interference in state affairs," while Dutch media reported that the teenagers were contacted via the Telegram app by pro-Russian hackers.
According to reports, one of the suspects was seen passing by the offices of Europol and Eurojust and the Canadian embassy in Den Haag (The Hague) carrying a device known as a "Wi-Fi sniffer," which is capable of detecting and intercepting wireless networks, raising suspicions about their attempt to gather sensitive information.
The two teenagers appeared before a judge on Thursday, where it was decided to detain one of them pending investigation, while the other was released under strict conditions of house arrest until the next hearing expected in two weeks. The Dutch National Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the court session but refrained from providing further details due to the young age of the suspects and the confidentiality of the ongoing investigations.
The father of one of the boys told De Telegraaf that the police arrested his son at home while he was doing his homework. The police informed him that the charges relate to espionage and providing services to a foreign country. The teenager was described as skilled in using computers and interested in hacking, while also working part-time at a supermarket.
The Dutch intelligence and internal security service AIVD (Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst) has declined to comment on the case so far. These arrests highlight the growing concern in the Netherlands about Russian cyber influence and its attempts to recruit young people for espionage activities.