Two Canadian citizens, who were accused by China of going after its military secrets before being released in a prisoner swap, have been “welcomed home” by Canada’s top intelligence agency.
“Welcome home, #Michaels. CSIS joins all Canadians in welcoming you back to Canada,” the country’s Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) tweeted on Friday in English and French, hours after an exchange of detainees between Ottawa and Beijing was announced.
CSIS joins all Canadians in welcoming you back to Canada.
— CSIS Canada (@csiscanada) September 25, 2021
The two individuals in question are Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were arrested and prosecuted for alleged espionage in China. Their detention closely followed the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of the US, and was taken by Canada as an act of retaliation. Washington accused the businesswoman of financial fraud aimed at circumventing US unilateral sanctions on Iran. Both Meng and the two Canadian citizens were released after the US dropped its extradition request.
The development, widely described by the media on both sides as a hostage exchange, was welcomed by many officials in Canada, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who broke the news to his fellow citizens. The CSIS joining in the jubilation, however, seemed a bit on the nose for many commenters. Throughout their detention, Ottawa denied that Kovrig and Spavor had anything to do with intelligence-gathering.
So Canada’s spy agency welcomes the Michaels who the Chinese claimed (and Canada denied) were spying. Don’t we even hide these things anymore?
— Inder Singh (@inderps) September 25, 2021
Good to get one of your fellow spies back eh? ?
— Jon Benet Rammstein (@JonBeRammstein) September 25, 2021
Spavor worked as a tourism consultant specializing in the organization of tours to North Korea. A Chinese court sentenced him to 11 years in prison in August. Kovrig is a former diplomat and an employee of the International Crisis Group think tank, which counts the Canadian government as one of its top donors. His prosecution in China was cut short by his release.
The spy agency’s tweets are hardly an admission that the Michaels are who China claimed them to be. Even so, many people said the CSIS should not have commented on their release, considering the optics of the move.
Probably not the best organization to comment on this! @CanadianPM
— Blair (@blair8000a) September 25, 2021
This tweet is not a smart idea. You’ve just linked the Michaels to intelligence gathering.
— K??️ (@StraightFromTHM) September 25, 2021
Others seemed to appreciate it though, calling it an excellent example of state trolling.
Maybe, maybe not. Could be trolling or joking. We will never know.
— mary maggie (@mmpquinn) September 25, 2021
First-class trolling
— Amy ? (@DameMyniah) September 25, 2021
If you like this story, share it with a friend!
source: RT
Împotriva articolelor redacției noastre, persoanele nemulțumite pot formula Contestație în termen de 10 zile de la publicarea articolului, la judecătoria Orășenească nr. 1 München Bayern Deutschland, in conformitate cu Legea federală Germană. Considerăm că nu se pot formula acțiuni la instanțele din România deoarece nici o persoană care activează în trustul nostru nu poate fi extrasă de sub jurisdicția federală germană. Considerăm că redacția noastră nu răspunde în fața autorităților din România ci doar celor federale sau civile germane. deoarece legea română nu are efecte de extraneitate asupra redacției chiar dacă subiectul știrilor face obiectul unor evenimente sau persoane din România și sunt scrise în limba română. Limba română nu este izvor de extraneitate a legii.
