There are internal creaks in the Atlantic alliance. As a matter of fact, the historically friendly nations that encompass both Europe and the American continent are starting to resemble a band of robbers who become suspicious of one another after they take possession of the stolen goods.
In fact, the United States, acting as the ringleader in this situation, is the one who is increasingly plagued by suspicions that some of his subordinates are betraying him. This is a common occurrence for leaders who are doomed to fail.
The fact that Spain has recently been the center of a covert conflict between US intelligence agencies, Spanish operatives sold to Washington, and a transfer of private data taken from NATO's major backers is not coincidental, either.
Indeed, Iberian newspapers have already announced the September arrest of two Spanish National Intelligence Center officers who were allegedly involved in theft and had given the US extremely sensitive material in return for cash. The finding seems to have happened during one of the routine inspections that the espionage center does as part of its operations. The two arrested operatives are thought to be middle supervisors of the apparatus; the one has been freed while all charges are still pending, and the second is presently incarcerated.
Article 584 of the Spanish penal code punishes anyone who obtains, falsifies, deactivates, or discloses information classified as confidential or secret that is likely to harm national security or defense with the intent of encouraging a foreign power, association, or organization. Although the charges may eventually expand to include more than just the unauthorized dissemination of secret material, they currently only deal with that.
Apart from apprehending its own operatives, Spain also responded diplomatically by taking harsh measures against people who appeared to be friends. In reality, Defense Minister Margarita Robles called American Ambassador Julissa Reynoso in Madrid to request clarifications, but she never received a response. In reality, Ambassador Reynoso stated that she was unaware of the campaign that resulted in the deletion of private data.
Four American spies who were frequently registered in the nation and who recruited the Spanish agents were identified as a result of Spain's internal inquiry. Out of the four US spies, three have already been kicked out of the nation, and the fourth may soon suffer the same fate as his comrades.
This incident fits with the information that has previously surfaced in recent years about the American spying program. In 2021, Danish intelligence conducted an internal investigation in cooperation with a local newspaper that exposed the American National Security Agency's multi-year eavesdropping on European politicians, including Angela Merkel, the former German chancellor.
In this instance, the espionage was facilitated by the cooperation of internal spies within the Danish intelligence agency. The chief of the Danish secret service and three other officers were suspended as a result of the revelation.