Norwegian prosecutors have charged a former security guard at the US Embassy in Oslo with espionage on behalf of Russia and Iran, accusing him of collecting and leaking sensitive information that endangered national interests, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The accused, Mohamed Orahhou, a Norwegian citizen, was arrested in November and is alleged to have transmitted confidential information regarding Norwegian intelligence agents and US Embassy personnel between March and November of last year.
The charges, announced Tuesday by the National Authority for Prosecution of Organized and Other Serious Crime, detail that Orahhou was compensated by Russian and Iranian intelligence services in both cash and bitcoin.
What information did he pass on to Russia and Iran?
According to the indictment, Orahhou delivered classified lists of Norwegian intelligence agents, as well as personal details—including names, addresses, and phone numbers—of embassy staff, diplomats, and their families. He also provided sketches of the embassy’s emergency evacuation plans. These materials were reportedly transferred to foreign agents during clandestine meetings held in Serbia, Turkey, and Norway.
The indictment states that Russian authorities paid Orahhou 10,000 euros, while Iranian officials provided 0.17 bitcoin, valued at approximately $10,000. Prosecutors argue that Orahhou’s actions directly compromised Norway’s national interests and endangered the safety of embassy staff.
Defense attorney Inger Zadig, speaking to NYT, acknowledged that her client accepted the facts of the indictment but contests their classification under Norwegian espionage law. Zadig emphasized that Orahhou lacked a security clearance and had no access to materials capable of endangering national security. “If not, then sharing the information is not a criminal offense,” she stated via text message to the paper.
Following his arrest, Orahhou admitted during interrogation that he had passed information to an officer from Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, as well as to unidentified Iranian officials. He also allegedly attempted to conceal the payments by funneling money through family members’ bank accounts.
Indictment does not disclose how defendant established contact with Russia, Iran
The indictment does not disclose how Orahhou initially established contact with the Russian or Iranian agents.
The charges come amid heightened concern over foreign espionage activities across Europe. A recent study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies indicated a near quadrupling of Russian sabotage operations in Europe from 2023 to 2024.
Similarly, MI5 chief Ken McCallum reported last October that British security services had thwarted over 20 Iranian-backed plots targeting UK citizens.
Orahhou is expected to stand trial next month. If convicted, he could face up to 21 years in prison.