Four arrested on suspicion of espionage

BELGRADE - In a joint operation, the Serbian Security Information Agency (BIA) and the relevant public prosecutor's office have dismantled another spy network in Serbia, arresting four people on suspicion of espionage.

Sources in Serbia's security agencies confirmed to Tanjug the BIA had discovered the Serbian office of a foreign organisation had engaged in subversive and intelligence activities that were a classic case of espionage.

All four suspects are Serbian nationals, the sources said.

Two of them are employees of the foreign organisation's office and were continuously gathering intelligence information, including confidential and secret information.

They were gathering information about the work of Serbian state authorities and some public enterprises as well as about resources within Serbia's national defence system, in particular, military security agencies.

They were especially interested in some state officials, as well as citizens and companies.

The other two suspects are employees of Serbian state authorities.

Following direct orders and instructions from the other two people in the group, they, consciously and in a premeditated manner, gathered confidential and secret official information that was under special legal and IT protection.

They delivered the information to the employees of the foreign organisation in exchange for illicit material gains exclusively in the form of cash payments.

Special technical equipment found during a search of premises the members of the spy network were using has been sent to further analysis and expertise.