Two Teenagers Detained in Netherlands on Suspicion of Spying for Russia

Police in the Netherlands have arrested two 17-year-old teenagers on suspicion of collaborating with Russian intelligence.

According to Telegraaf, in August of this year, one of the boys allegedly passed by the offices of Europol, Eurojust and the Canadian Embassy in The Hague.

He was carrying a so-called Wi-Fi sniffer, a device that monitors surrounding networks and can intercept data.

The police chief refused to comment in detail due to the age of the suspects, but confirmed that one of the boys would remain in custody for another two weeks, while the other was confined to house arrest under electronic monitoring.

According to the father of one of the young men, he currently knows from official statements by law enforcement bodies that the charges are “espionage” and “rendering services to a foreign state.”

He also suggests that his son could have been recruited via Telegram by pro-Russian hackers, DutchNews reports.

“My son doesn’t go out, he works in a supermarket and shows no desire to explore the world,” the father said.

The young man is described as a fanatical gamer who is well versed in computers and interested in hacking.

The arrests were made possible thanks to data from the Dutch intelligence service AIVD, according to media reports.

Although this is the first such case recorded in the Netherlands, the intelligence service has previously published a brochure on the threats of involving minors in radical organizations and recruiting them via the Internet.

Earlier, France released details of a report on cyberattacks, espionage, and Russian attempts to influence political processes.