Polish Ex-Security Official Charged With Spying For China During Government Service
16 January 2019 - 5:30AM
Dow Jones News
By Bojan Pancevski and Natalia Ojewska
WARSAW -- A former senior Polish intelligence official, arrested
here with a Huawei Technologies Co. employee last week, has been
charged with spying for China while he worked in government with
top-level access to Polish and allied intelligence, according to an
official familiar with the matter.
Last week, Polish authorities arrested the ex-official,
currently employed by French telecommunications carrier Orange SA,
along with the Huawei executive. They have both been charged with
espionage. Polish officials didn't provide further details about
the case, making it unclear until now whether they thought the
former official, Piotr Durbajlo had been spying before leaving
government service.
Between 2000 and 2017, Mr. Durbajlo worked in a series of posts
with high security clearances, giving him access to sensitive
communication and databases including information shared between
allies like the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization.
Attorneys for both men weren't available to comment.
Huawei fired the arrested employee, Wang Weijing, over the
weekend and said his alleged actions had nothing to do with his
employment at the company.
The Chinese telecom-equipment maker is in the middle of a global
firestorm over accusations by the U.S. and some of its allies that
its gear poses a security risk because the company may be compelled
by Beijing to help it spy overseas. Huawei has denied it spies for
any government.
The arrest in Poland was the latest high-profile setback amid
Huawei's efforts to defend itself. Last month, Canadian officials
arrested Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, at the U.S.'s
behest, on allegations she lied about Huawei's business ties in
Iran. Ms. Meng has denied the charges.
Write to Bojan Pancevski at bojan.pancevski@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 15, 2019 13:15 ET (18:15 GMT)
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