Eduardo González
The Spanish government has forced the expulsion of at least two American spies stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid for having bribed two agents of the National Intelligence Center (CNI) to obtain secret information.
As reported yesterday by the newspaper El País from government sources, the events took place at the end of September, when the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles (on whom the CNI depends), and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, summoned the US ambassador in Madrid, Julissa Reynoso, to ask her for explanations and to convey their displeasure for the recruitment and purchase of the CNI agents, a fact which, according to Government sources, represents a “hostile and unusual action against the Spanish Intelligence Service”. According to the same sources, Ambassador Reynoso “apologized for what happened” and promised maximum collaboration with the investigators.
The operation began before the summer, after it was discovered during a CNI security check that two agents had accessed classified information that they did not need for their work and to which they were not authorized to have access. The investigations revealed that at least one of the agents had been recruited by United States spies to obtain secret information in exchange for a significant amount of money.
The two agents, an area chief and his assistant, were arrested two months ago, after the director of the Center, Esperanza Casteleiro, reported the facts to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Audiencia Nacional and the latter transferred the case to the Prosecutor’s Office of the High Court of Justice of Madrid. The case, which is currently in the hands of the courts of Plaza de Castilla (Madrid), is under secrecy by order of the judge.
The two agents are being investigated for disclosure of secrets, although they could also face a charge of treason for espionage for a foreign power, which carries penalties of between six and twelve years in prison. Margarita Robles confirmed last Monday the opening of the investigations and the Minister of Justice, Félix Bolaños, put at the disposal of the investigators “all the documentation and collaboration” that the Government could provide.
Besides, by agreement of Robles and Albares, the two U.S. agents were “discreetly” expelled from Spain. However, as verified yesterday by the newspaper El Mundo, the Government has already expelled three American spies and has requested the expulsion of a fourth. The agents were stationed at the Embassy of their country and were listed as “registered”, that is to say, accredited as such before the Spanish Intelligence services, a common practice among “friendly” countries and Intelligence services, according to Defense sources to the same newspaper. Because of their accredited status, the American spies had greater freedom to move around Spanish territory and deal with colleagues.
In declarations to the press during a visit to the Guadarrama XII Brigade, the Minister of Defense assured yesterday that this case will not affect “in any case” the relationship between the US and Spain. “Complaints were transferred at the time, at the right moment, by Spain”, but “in no case does it affect the fundamental core of the relations between two countries that are allies and friends”. “When there are issues that may affect, they are discussed and dealt with”, she assured.
During his intervention last Tuesday before the Congress, on the occasion of Albares’ appearance to explain Spain’s position on the war in the Gaza Strip, the PP’s Deputy Secretary for Institutional Affairs, Esteban González Pons, justified the U.S. spying operation through the CNI. “Until recently you spied on the pro-independence supporters and were spied on by Morocco”, but “now you do not spy on anyone and you are spied on by the United States; not even your allies trust what you are up to”, he affirmed.
