As part of his tourist travel business, Mr. Spavor helped arrange visits by former basketball star Dennis Rodman over the past few years, where the player struck up a friendship with the young dictator.
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He is also alleging, the sources say, that a senior diplomat in Beijing had conversations with Mr. Kovrig about his relationship with Mr. Spavor after Mr. Kovrig took a leave of absence from Global Affairs Canada in 2017 to join the International Crisis Group. The ICG is an independent, non-governmental global think tank.
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A third highly placed source told The Globe that Mr. Kovrig was considered an intelligence asset, as a diplomatic officer at the Global Security Reporting Program (GSRP) within the Canadian embassy in Beijing, and later when based in Hong Kong at International Crisis Group.
The source said Mr. Kovrig was not an employee of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service but that information he gathered in China was viewed as valuable by the spy agency. The Globe is not identifying the source because they could face prosecution under the Security of Information Act.
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An acquaintance of both Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor, who is involved in overseas intelligence work, said they often went for drinks with the two men. Mr. Kovrig also visited Mr. Spavor where he lived in China near the North Korean border, the acquaintance said. The Globe is not identifying the individual because of concerns they could be arrested in China.
Related:
Michael Kovrig and Spavor are spies, despite obfuscations of Canada’s mainstream media
The Two Michaels, Canada’s Kovrig and Spavor, Caught Red-Handed Spying Against China and North Korea
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 