Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles says the government has filed a complaint with the United States after discovering that Spanish intelligence agents had allegedly leaked classified information to the US. Robles says the complaint was conveyed at that time…
By means ofThe Associated Press
December 7, 2023, 12:29 PM
MADRID — Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Thursday that the Spanish government recently filed a complaint with the United States after discovering that Spanish intelligence agents had allegedly leaked classified information to the US.
“Complaints were filed from Spain at the time,” Robles said, but she insisted the case “did not affect the fundamental core of relations between two countries that are allies and friends.”
Earlier this week, Robles confirmed that a Madrid judge had opened an investigation into agents of Spain's National Intelligence Center over an alleged leak of classified information to the United States.
She said the intelligence center itself had filed a complaint with a provincial court in Madrid.
Robles declined to provide further information Thursday, saying the case was under a court gag order.
She spoke after leading Spanish newspaper El País reported that the US ambassador to Spain had been summoned to a meeting with the defense minister earlier this year and that the foreign minister had also complained to the ambassador by telephone.
According to El País, Spain discreetly expelled two US intelligence agents posted to its embassy in Madrid for allegedly trying to bribe Spanish officers for secrets.
The Associated Press could not independently confirm the report.
Robles did not specifically mention El País' report. The US Embassy in Madrid and the Spanish Foreign Ministry declined to comment.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was asked about the matter during a White House briefing on Monday and declined to comment.
Spanish state news agency Efe said one of the Spanish officers remains in custody, while the second has been released on conditions.
In an informal conversation with foreign journalists earlier this week, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that while there was concern towards Washington when the case was first discovered, the situation has now been resolved.