Dutch police have arrested two 17-year-olds on suspicion of spying for Russia, the first time in the country that minors have been suspected of being involved in espionage activities.
This is reported by the newspaper De Telegraaf.
The father of one of the boys says his son was recruited into Telegram by a pro-Russian hacker.
According to the prosecutorʼs office, one of the teenagers in August of this year walked a route past Europol, Eurojust, and the Canadian Embassy in The Hague with a device that monitors nearby networks and intercepts data.
The parents of one of the suspects said that the search and arrest of their son came as a surprise to them. They had no idea that their son might be involved in espionage activities.
“My son doesn’t go outside, he works in a supermarket and shows no desire to explore the world,” said the father of one of the boys.
Police say one of the detained boys will remain in custody for another two weeks, while the other will be under house arrest.
The media notes that the Netherlands has had a stricter law against foreign interference since May. The penalty is up to 8 years in prison.
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