On Tuesday, José Assis Giammaria (37) was arrested on his way to his work as a visiting researcher at the University of Tromsø. PST suspects that he operated under a false identity, and that he is actually a Russian spy.
Learn more: José Assis Giammaria (37) is the alleged spy researcher
PST wrote on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon that they had launched an investigation. Giammaria is currently suspected of unlawful intelligence that could harm fundamental national interests, and unlawful intelligence that could harm the security interests of other states.
The 37-year-old operates with a Brazilian identity and has searched for, among other things, northern regions and hybrid threats. According to a Facebook post from the University of Calgary in Canada, he once studied there.
Read more: Alleged Russian spy arrested in Tromsø
– Talked to everyone
The Canadian newspaper The globe and the mail writes that during his years in Canada, José Assis Giammaria, among others, volunteered in the Canadian election campaign. The British newspaper The Guardian writes that the University of Tromsø had contact with a Canadian professor who vouched for the 37-year-old.
The Globe and Mail spoke with Ottawa City Councilor Sean Devine. He says José Assis Giammaria once worked as a campaign agent for him.
In 2015, Devine tried to run for the New Democratic Party, when the 37-year-old volunteered shortly after the start of the campaign trail.
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– My campaign machine was very small, so we talked to everyone, says Devine the newspaper.
Devine says he thought José Assis Giammaria was Brazilian.
– Impressive CV
– He sent me an impressive CV, and had experience in political science and politics, if I remember correctly, says Devine.
The alleged spy scientist has knocked on the doors of Devine’s campaign.
– He was really good at it, and I remember he asked me if he could contribute more, which volunteers usually do, says the Canadian politician.
Despite his commitment and desire to contribute more, the 37-year-old was told to focus on knocking on doors to win over voters. After receiving this message, interest in campaign work cooled.
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– He just stopped showing up, said Devine the newspaper.
The Canadian politician speculates if it may have something to do with the election campaign simply not going well.
– If he wanted to be associated with a successful election campaign, he soon realized we weren’t going to win, says Devine, who recalls telling the 37-year-old that he was impressed that a Brazilian student in Canada wants to contribute in the electoral campaign.
