Foreign governments recruit ordinary people as agents
Foreign governments are increasingly recruiting ordinary European citizens for espionage and sabotage, a senior Dutch police official has warned, highlighting a growing and concerning shift in security threats.
يوسف آيت داود, director of intelligence and national threats at the Netherlands’ National Investigations and Special Operations Unit, told Politico that authorities are now dealing less with trained operatives and more with individuals recruited online. These recruits are often offered money to carry out simple but dangerous tasks, sometimes without knowing who is behind them.
He explained that instructions are often vague and anonymous, with offers such as setting fire to a location in exchange for thousands of euros. This makes it difficult for investigators to trace the origin of such operations, as there are no clear links to specific countries like Russia or Iran.
The warning comes shortly after Justice Minister ديفيد فان ويل stated that four teenagers arrested following an explosion outside a synagogue in Rotterdam were likely recruited, possibly by Iran. In another case, two 17-year-olds were detained for allegedly mapping internet traffic near sensitive locations in The Hague using a “Wi-Fi sniffer,” reportedly on behalf of a Russian hacker group.
Dutch security agencies, including NCTV, have repeatedly warned about the rise of digital espionage and foreign interference. While this trend is relatively new in the Netherlands, countries like Germany have already launched public campaigns cautioning young people against becoming what officials describe as “disposable agents.”