Spy chief forced out

last updated 8 January 2015

Brussels

Koen Dassen, the head of Belgium’s state security service, resigned this week over allegations that his agency covered up Belgian nuclear technology sales to Iran. The Belgian firm Epsi reportedly sold Iran an isostatic press—a device that can strengthen nuclear weapons components—in violation of an international embargo. A Belgian government report found that Dassen’s agency knew of the sale and did not report it to the government. The security service “certainly failed in its mission to provide information to the authorities and proved itself inefficient,” the report said. Dassen will be given a different government post.