Through the Lens of Danger: Espionage, Secrets, and the Shadows of Photography

Introduction

I have a story I'd like to share with you.

Not so long ago, I flew back to my old country, Croatia, to visit old friends and places and attend some anniversaries, and being a keen photographer, I asked my old school friend to stop near an oil refinery.

As a side note, Croatia is a stunning country with mountains, seas, and infinite fields. I sincerely hope you will include Croatia on your list of places to visit. You will thank me for it.

Let me return to my story.

Established in 1926, the Sisak refinery sits at the confluence of the Kupa and Sava rivers. Sadly, the effects of time, war, and corruption have diminished what was once a huge giant.

The idea was to capture the big flame erupting into the sky at sunset; after all, oil refineries have a few of those "chimneys." Therefore, I positioned my tripod and camera to achieve a well-framed shot.

A police officer patrol unexpectedly emerged next to me while I was stopping in the street and took a few pictures with my camera.

They asked me a lot of questions, including who I was and why I was taking pictures in a forbidden area. And I had already arrived at the police station by the time I regained my bearings.

The questions at the police station went on to ask me if the cameras were mine, if I had purchased them in Croatia or imported them, and once more, why I was taking pictures in a forbidden place.

All factories, public places, etc. were communist, so taking pictures was forbidden. In democratic Croatia, this practice was somewhat prevalent, but it is no longer the case.

After we had settled down and I explained that I wasn’t aware that I was not allowed to take pictures and I needed to dig deep into conversation, offering to make a phone call, they knew from the public life situation that it was much friendlier.

I questioned how the Google car could travel the entire nation while filming for Google Maps.

They responded to me, and we also stopped and fined them yesterday.

We chuckled, but basically, the area surrounding the refinery is protected and off-limits to photography.

However, my failure to notice a sign compelled me to pay the fine and adhere to the state regulations.

Despite the relative harmlessness of my story, we must take these precautions.

Of course, the world of espionage has advanced in today's era of sophisticated recording, photography, and drone equipment.

Kiel Espionage

A Chinese national was detained a few days ago while shooting pictures at a naval facility in Kiel, a major port on the Baltic Sea in northern Germany.

The state criminal police of Schleswig-Holstein have begun an investigation into potential espionage at the Kiel naval base.

This kind of espionage is common in the hybrid warfare period of today.

The German official television reported that on December 9, a Chinese national allegedly entered the military base in the port of Kiel and took pictures.

The case of the prosecutor

We took the Chinese national into custody and showed him to the prosecutor.

"The Flensburg public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation against a Chinese national on suspicion of espionage," said the case's head prosecutor.

This relates specifically to the crime of showing pictures that jeopardize security on military property.

The prosecutor did not provide additional information about the case because it involves state security.

He did, however, clarify that the defendant is at large.

Investigators involved in the case are examining the Chinese man's cell phone.

Security personnel reportedly picked it up initially before turning the individual over to the police.

The VDR investigation discovered that the person was in detention following a brief arrest.

Investigators are examining the man's cell phone and other belongings, the VDR said.

The Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence (MAD) is involved in this case.

China reacts to an investigation into spying

The Chinese Foreign Ministry intervened in the case of possible espionage in the Kiel Navy.

China has consistently advised its citizens abroad to follow local rules and regulations, according to a representative.

Beijing isn't aware of any instance.

"We hope that the German side will stick to the facts and stop using so-called espionage cases for manipulation and slander," the Chinese Foreign Ministry also cautioned German authorities.

The spokesperson urged Germany's federal government to defend the rights and interests of Chinese nationals.

There are concerns over Chinese spying

Chinese espionage has long been a source of concern in Kiel.

The region is home to military sector enterprises, in addition to the Bundeswehr and Navy's valuable real estate.

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel, for example, produces cutting-edge submarines. NATO is also present in the port city.

Last year, suspicions of probable Chinese espionage in the Baltic Sea were so high that the previously agreed-upon municipal collaboration between Kiel and Qingdao was cancelled on short notice.

The espionage case in Leipzig

Police in Leipzig arrested a Chinese national in October on suspicion of spying for weapons supplies. Police accused her of being a Chinese secret service intelligence agent.

She was then identified as Yaki X., who obtained information regarding "the transport of military equipment and people connected to a German arms company" by using her position.

German prosecutors claim that a logistics company at Leipzig-Halle Airport employed Yaki X.

For the German military industry, the airport serves as a vital logistics hub for the sale of weaponry, particularly military supplies to Ukraine.

Between mid-August 2023 and mid-February 2024, Yaki X. allegedly provided information she had gathered to another suspect who worked for Chinese intelligence.

The information included flights, airport passengers and cargo, and military equipment movement.

Given Germany's strategic significance and status as one of Europe's most powerful militaries, these incidents are neither unusual nor arbitrary.

Considering my innocuous incident in Croatia and similar situations, I would like to advise you to exercise extreme caution when taking pictures and to abide by local laws when visiting other nations.