The Malaysian arrested in Norway for alleged espionage, a charge that has now been changed to financial fraud, was supposedly recruited by a foreigner while studying in Australia.
A Kuala Lumpur-based diplomat says he has been approached by a foreign intelligence agent operating Down Under.
“He was befriended by a ‘consultant’ from a foreign country who operated in Australia. The person gave financial assistance to the Malaysian student,” the diplomat explains.
“The consultant was on the radar of Australian intelligence. They informed their Norwegian counterparts that the consultant and the Malaysian were traveling together to Norway,” says the diplomatic source.
The source says that the 25-year-old student from Kuala Lumpur come from a low-income family and was pursuing a Diploma in Business Studies at a college in Melbourne.
“The student informed his parents that he was getting financial assistance from the consultant,” he added.
The source says that the identity of the intelligence agent has not been revealed as investigations are still ongoing.
Source: straitstimes.com
