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Engineer convicted in Saab blackmail case

The 48-year-old engineer charged with attempting to blackmail Saab Microwave Systems for 16 million kronor ($2.1 million) was sentenced on Monday to four years in prison.

Published: 10 November 2008 15:10 CET

He was convicted of serious unauthorized possession of classified information, bribery, as well as attempted bribery, but was acquitted on charges of industrial espionage.

The man, who worked as a consultant at Saab Microwave Systems, obtained various sensitive documents which he threatened to make public of the company didn’t pay him several million kronor.

According to the prosecutor, the documents contained company secrets which were also considered classified military secrets.

The man has confessed that he tried to get the company to buy back the secret documents, but denied his guilt.

He claims that he was forced into the deal by a man referred to as Defence Harry, a person who police and prosecutors have yet to locate.

The prosecutor had originally asked the man receive an eight year prison sentence.

Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Monday

Oslo Operahus. Photo by Arvid Malde on Unsplash

Norwegian government to unveil more details around Covid certificate

On Monday, the government will issue guidelines on how exactly its Covid-19 certificate will be used domestically.

At 3pm, the government will hold a press conference where they will reveal more about how the Covid-19 certificates will work.

The certificate launched on Friday, but so far, the government have been sparing with details on how it will be used.

READ MORE: Explained: How to access Norway’s Covid-19 certificate

They have, however, revealed the certificate would be used for access to large events as well as tours and cruises within Norway.

We will have all the details on how the certificate will be used covered in an article later today.

Ministry of Defence: No signs of espionage

There is no evidence to suggest that Danish data cables were used to actively spy on Norwegian politicians by the US, Defence Minister Frank Bakke Jensen has told parliament.

At the end of May, Danmarks Radio reported that the US used Danish data cables to spy on politicians across Europe.

“These are serious allegations that the government takes very seriously. Based on what we know, it does not look like there has been activity (espionage) directed at Norwegian politicians,” Jensen said in a statement.

READ MORE: Norway summons US embassy top official over spying claims

“Systematic espionage is completely unacceptable. We are clear to the Danish and American authorities about this. We are also in active dialogue with Danish and American authorities and services about the information regarding this matter,” he added.

One in ten Norwegians plan summer holiday abroad

Only ten percent of respondents to a new survey have said they plan on going on holiday abroad this summer.

According to the survey by employer organisation, Virke, the majority, 60 percent, said that their travel plans have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Fewer children are being adopted from abroad in Norway

In 2020, 46 children were adopted from abroad in Norway, half the number of foreign adoptions compared to 2019.

According to new figures from Statistics Norway, the number of foreign children being adopted in Norway is also less than 10 percent of what it was in 1998 when 795 foreign adoptions were registered.

A total of 243 adoptions were recorded in Norway last year, almost 100 less than the year before.

One of the reasons fewer foreign children are being adopted is that countries that have previously released children for adoption abroad can now take care of these children themselves, according to Statistics Norway.

96 new coronavirus cases

On Sunday, 96 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in Norway, 89 fewer than the seven-day average of 185.

Fewer cases tend to be registered on weekends and public holidays than on weekdays.

The R-number or reproduction rate in Norway is currently 0.9. This means that every ten people that are infected will, on average, only infect another nine people, indicating that the infection level is declining.

Total number of Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: NIPH

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