A man reported to be a UK parliamentary researcher who was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing on Monday said he was “completely innocent” and not a “Chinese spy”.The man, whose identity has not been released by UK authorities but is said to be in his 20s, denied any involvement in espionage, in a statement released by his lawyers.UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raised his “very strong concerns” about possible Chinese “interference” in democracy with premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the G20 in India on Sunday.
Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the UK’s lower chamber of parliament the House of Commons, was due to make a statement on the issue at 1330 GMT.”I feel forced to respond to the media accusations that I am a ‘Chinese spy’,” the suspect said in the statement. “It is wrong that I should be obliged to make any form of public comment on the misreporting that has taken place.”However, given what has been reported, it is vital that it is known that I am completely innocent.
“I have spent my career to date trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party.”To do what has been claimed against me in extravagant news reporting would be against everything I stand for.”UK police said over the weekend that they had arrested a man in his 20s at his home in Edinburgh for spying, with the Sunday Times reporting he was a researcher in Britain’s parliament.
China responded by calling the claims a “political farce”.Another man in his 30s had also been arrested, police said.Both arrests took place in March on suspicion of offences under the Official Secrets Act.The two men had have been bailed until October.Pakistan ex-cricketer gets 12 years for inciting murder of Dutch MPBADHOEVEDORP, Netherlands, Sept 11, 2023 (AFP) – A Dutch court on Monday sentenced former Pakistan international cricketer Khalid Latif to 12 years in prison for urging the murder of anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.
Latif, 37, had offered 21,000 euros ($22,500) for the head of Wilders in an online video after the firebrand lawmaker sought to arrange a competition for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.”It was not a stretch to think that somebody around the world would have taken heed of the call to kill Mr Wilders,” presiding judge G. Verbeek told the court.”The accused knew this and his call fuelled the fire to have Wilders killed.”It is extremely unlikely that Latif, who was convicted in absentia, will serve his sentence. Dutch authorities have sought in vain to question Latif over the case and requested legal assistance from Pakistan, also to no avail.
“It’s a good sentence, but it’s a pity that the accused is not here in court,” Wilders told reporters outside, sporting his trademark peroxide hairdo.”It is no longer acceptable that the Pakistani authorities refuse to cooperate. I am going to ask the prime minister to ensure that Khalid Latif is arrested in Pakistan and extradited to the Netherlands,” he added.Wilders cancelled the cartoon contest after protests broke out in Pakistan and he was inundated with death threats. He has been under 24-hour state protection since 2004.
In the Netherlands, the plan to stage the contest was criticised widely with politicians, local media and ordinary citizens slamming the idea as needlessly antagonising Muslims.
But the call to kill Wilders appeared to resonate in the real world, with a Pakistani man sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2019 for plotting his assassination in the wake of the cancelled contest.
Judge Verbeek said Latif’s video was not just an attack on Wilders personally, but also on the concept of free speech in the Netherlands.
Latif played five one-day internationals and 13 T20 internationals for Pakistan but was banned from cricket for five years in 2017 for spot-fixing in a Pakistan Super League match in Dubai.His last Pakistan appearance was against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi in September 2016.However, Verbeek said that Latif had benefitted from his fame as an international cricketer to “add oil to the fire” at a time when the Netherlands was already the target of several threats.
