A Norwegian man, Mohamed Orahhou, formerly employed as a security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, has been charged with espionage for Russia and Iran, according to Norwegian prosecutors and reports from state broadcaster NRK. Arrested in November 2024, Orahhou allegedly collected and passed sensitive information about embassy staff, diplomats, and Norway’s intelligence services to his handlers in Russia and Iran, sparking serious concerns about national security.
The indictment details that between March and November 2024, Orahhou gathered classified data including names, addresses, phone numbers, and vehicle details of embassy personnel and their families. He also reportedly disclosed floor plans, security protocols, emergency evacuation sketches, and photographs of embassy facilities such as garages and communication equipment. Prosecutors assert that these disclosures posed an “elevated risk” to the individuals involved, the embassy itself, and American security interests.
Orahhou’s espionage activities were motivated, according to the indictment, by his opposition to the United States’ close ties with Israel during the Gaza war. This geopolitical context seemingly drove him to contact Russian and Iranian intelligence services, both adversaries of the West. Payments for his spying were made in cash and cryptocurrency, with Russian authorities allegedly providing €10,000 (about $11,700) and Iranian officials transferring 0.17 bitcoin, valued at roughly $20,000.
Evidence suggests that Orahhou met with intelligence officials from Russia and Iran in secretive locations across Serbia, Turkey, and Norway to hand over the stolen information. To conceal the financial trail, he reportedly deposited payments into bank accounts belonging to family members and friends before requesting the funds be returned to him. Additionally, prosecutors accuse him of hiding income from the Norwegian Tax Administration: while he reported earnings of 57,000 kroner (approximately $5,600) in 2024, he allegedly received over 400,000 kroner from the U.S. Embassy that year, which went unreported.
Orahhou’s defense team, led by attorneys Inger Zadig and John Christian Elden, has acknowledged the factual circumstances laid out in the indictment but contests their classification as criminal under Norwegian law. Zadig emphasized that the central legal question is whether the information shared was officially classified and capable of harming fundamental national interests. She argued, “Our client did not hold a security clearance, and his access to information that could threaten vital national interests was more or less non-existent.” The defense maintains that if the information was not classified or harmful by legal standards, then sharing it is not a criminal offense.
Despite denying criminal guilt, Orahhou has cooperated with investigators, reportedly identifying a Russian agent to Norwegian authorities. The trial is scheduled to begin on August 19, 2025, in Oslo District Court, with two weeks allocated for proceedings. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison.
This case is not isolated. It follows a similar espionage incident involving a guest researcher at Norway’s Arctic University, UiT, where Orahhou was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in security and preparedness at the time of his arrest. That earlier case involved a Russian operative who posed as a Brazilian academic and was part of a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries in 2024.
Norway’s strategic position—sharing a 198-kilometer border with Russia in the Arctic—has heightened concerns about espionage and security. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Norway has imposed strict restrictions on Russian nationals entering the country and has even considered erecting a fence along its border with Russia to bolster security.
The indictment comes amid a broader pattern of espionage activities across Europe attributed to Russia and Iran. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, suspected Russian sabotage operations in Europe nearly quadrupled between 2023 and 2024. British intelligence has also disrupted numerous Iranian-backed plots, underscoring the persistent threat posed by these nations.
In the United Kingdom, a recent conviction of Howard Phillips, who offered to pass information about a former defense secretary to what he believed were Russian agents, highlights the ongoing efforts by Western countries to counter foreign intelligence threats. Phillips was found guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service and awaits sentencing.
The Russian embassy in Oslo declined to comment on Orahhou’s case beyond stating that all diplomatic missions, including the American one, must be reliably protected per international law. The U.S. and Iranian embassies in Oslo have not responded to requests for comment.
Orahhou’s case underscores the complexities of espionage law, where the classification of information and its potential harm to national interests are pivotal. As the trial approaches, it will test Norway’s legal boundaries in addressing modern espionage amid escalating geopolitical tensions involving Russia, Iran, and the West.
