US EditionFrance arrests 4 people suspected of spying on Starlink for China
- On Feb 4, the Paris public prosecutor's office said four suspects, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested on Jan 31 in the Gironde region for suspected spying on the Starlink satellite network.
- Residents on Jan 30 spotted a roughly 2m satellite dish amid a local internet outage, prompting a follow-up search that led authorities to investigate the installation.
- Prosecutors said the setup included a system of computers and satellite dishes that intercepted satellite downlinks, two Chinese nationals listed wireless engineering on visa forms, and two other suspects imported the equipment.
- The cybercrime division of the Paris public prosecutor's office has opened a judicial investigation involving DGSI, with four suspects brought before an investigating judge and two remanded in custody; the offence carries up to 15 years in prison.
- The case is the latest in a series of alleged China-linked spying incidents across Europe in recent months, including a Jan 22 Czech police detention, an American on trial in Germany, and Ken McCallum's warning that China poses a `daily` threat.
34 Articles
34 Articles
Four people, including two Chinese nationals, have been arrested in the Gironde department in southwestern France, of course spying at the service of China, sources from the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office reported on Wednesday."The anti-cyber crime section of the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office opened a judicial investigation on 4 February 2026 after discovering that two Chinese citizens had entered French territory with the aim of capturing …
Four persons, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested in the Gironde department as part of an investigation into alleged espionage for the benefit of China.
der Standard AT
der Standard DEThe four people are said to have tried to intercept sensitive military data with a satellite receiver and forward it to China
They rented a holiday home in southwestern France, built a two-metre parabolic antenna – and were arrested. Four Chinese people are now being investigated for suspicion of espionage.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 54% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
