Spain has discreetly expelled at least two U.S. embassy staff accused of bribing Spanish intelligence officers for secrets, El Pais newspaper reported on Thursday, citing government sources.
There was no immediate confirmation from either country, who are allies and generally share intelligence between them.
The embassy personnel, whom El Pais did not identify by name or post, were quietly withdrawn at Madrid’s request after an investigation showed that two Spanish intelligence officers gave information for “a large sum”.
More than two U.S. “spies” may have been involved, the newspaper said, citing unidentified government sources.
The Spanish intelligence agency (CNI) officers, a chief of area and his assistant, were arrested two months ago and a court ordered their case to be kept secret, El Pais said.
U.S. ambassador Julissa Reynoso was summoned by Spanish authorities, said she knew nothing of the case and apologised, the report added. Washington then complied with a request from Spain’s defence and foreign ministries for the two U.S. staff to leave.
A U.S. official in Spain said Reynoso would not comment.
Spokespeople at the Spanish Foreign Ministry and the top court declined to comment, while the CNI and Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“It’s a very grave matter, since recruiting secret agents from a host nation to betray their own country is an openly hostile act done with enemy governments, but never with friends or allies,” El Pais said.
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