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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| 2 Canadians Investigated in China Over Spying Claims | 2 Canadians Investigated in China Over Spying Claims |
| (21 days later) | |
| BEIJING — A Canadian couple with ties to a Christian organization that provides humanitarian assistance to North Koreans have been detained in China, family members said Tuesday. | |
| The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not say whether they had been detained, but confirmed they were under investigation for possible espionage. | The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not say whether they had been detained, but confirmed they were under investigation for possible espionage. |
| The authorities are investigating the couple, Kevin and Julia Dawn Garratt of Vancouver, British Columbia, on allegations of stealing intelligence material “about Chinese military targets and important national defense research projects, and engaging in activities threatening to Chinese national security” in the northeastern city of Dandong, the ministry said in a reply to faxed questions. | The authorities are investigating the couple, Kevin and Julia Dawn Garratt of Vancouver, British Columbia, on allegations of stealing intelligence material “about Chinese military targets and important national defense research projects, and engaging in activities threatening to Chinese national security” in the northeastern city of Dandong, the ministry said in a reply to faxed questions. |
| Family members said they had been unable to reach them since Monday night. Repeated calls to a coffee shop that the Garratts run in Dandong, across the Yalu River from North Korea, went unanswered. | Family members said they had been unable to reach them since Monday night. Repeated calls to a coffee shop that the Garratts run in Dandong, across the Yalu River from North Korea, went unanswered. |
| The announcement came a week after Canada publicly accused China of hacking its top scientific research agency. Beijing angrily denied that. | The announcement came a week after Canada publicly accused China of hacking its top scientific research agency. Beijing angrily denied that. |
| While China has used its notoriously vague state secrets law to prosecute naturalized, Chinese-born citizens of foreign countries, it is unusual for such accusations to be levied against nonethnic expatriates. | While China has used its notoriously vague state secrets law to prosecute naturalized, Chinese-born citizens of foreign countries, it is unusual for such accusations to be levied against nonethnic expatriates. |
| “The idea that foreigners are spies and therefore should be dealt with severely hasn’t had prominence in China for some time,” said Charles Burton, a professor at Brock University in Ontario and a former Canadian diplomat in China. “But certainly under the new leadership, the Communist Party is less sympathetic to Western notions of rule of law.” | “The idea that foreigners are spies and therefore should be dealt with severely hasn’t had prominence in China for some time,” said Charles Burton, a professor at Brock University in Ontario and a former Canadian diplomat in China. “But certainly under the new leadership, the Communist Party is less sympathetic to Western notions of rule of law.” |
| Officials at the Office of State Security in Liaoning Province notified the Canadian Embassy in Beijing of the case on Monday. The Foreign Ministry said the authorities had “fully ensured the various rights” of the couple. | Officials at the Office of State Security in Liaoning Province notified the Canadian Embassy in Beijing of the case on Monday. The Foreign Ministry said the authorities had “fully ensured the various rights” of the couple. |
| The Garratts have lived in China on and off since 1984 and moved to Dandong about six years ago, said their son Simeon Garratt, 27, who returned to Canada in 2009. They run Peter’s Coffee House, named for their younger son; the restaurant is known for its Western fare and for a discussion group for people studying English. “It’s a great opportunity to learn,” Liu Ziyu, who frequently attended the discussion group, said by phone. | The Garratts have lived in China on and off since 1984 and moved to Dandong about six years ago, said their son Simeon Garratt, 27, who returned to Canada in 2009. They run Peter’s Coffee House, named for their younger son; the restaurant is known for its Western fare and for a discussion group for people studying English. “It’s a great opportunity to learn,” Liu Ziyu, who frequently attended the discussion group, said by phone. |
| The coffee shop became a hub for the city’s expatriate English teachers and other foreigners, some of whom had come with religious ambitions. | The coffee shop became a hub for the city’s expatriate English teachers and other foreigners, some of whom had come with religious ambitions. |
| The Garratts made no secret of their Christian faith, which drew them to Dandong. In a sermon posted on the website of the Terra Nova Church in Surrey, British Columbia, Mr. Garratt, 54, framed the couple’s life in China in biblical terms: “God said, in a prayer meeting, go to Dandong and I’ll meet you there, and he said start a coffee house.” He added, “We’re trying to reach North Korea with God, with Jesus, and with practical assistance.” | The Garratts made no secret of their Christian faith, which drew them to Dandong. In a sermon posted on the website of the Terra Nova Church in Surrey, British Columbia, Mr. Garratt, 54, framed the couple’s life in China in biblical terms: “God said, in a prayer meeting, go to Dandong and I’ll meet you there, and he said start a coffee house.” He added, “We’re trying to reach North Korea with God, with Jesus, and with practical assistance.” |
| In Dandong, the Garratts worked with North Star Aid, a humanitarian group focused on delivering food to North Koreans. According to the sermon, dated last November, they were cooperating with house churches in China to send clothes and other aid to North Korea and operated a special “training house” outside Dandong for North Koreans who crossed the border. | In Dandong, the Garratts worked with North Star Aid, a humanitarian group focused on delivering food to North Koreans. According to the sermon, dated last November, they were cooperating with house churches in China to send clothes and other aid to North Korea and operated a special “training house” outside Dandong for North Koreans who crossed the border. |
| China looks askance at those seeking to assist North Koreans in the highly sensitive region. “If this couple was deeply involved in the North Korean refugee issue and then sending people back in to do missionary work, that is not something the Chinese want foreigners actively engaged in on that border,” said John Delury, an assistant professor of Chinese and East Asian studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. | China looks askance at those seeking to assist North Koreans in the highly sensitive region. “If this couple was deeply involved in the North Korean refugee issue and then sending people back in to do missionary work, that is not something the Chinese want foreigners actively engaged in on that border,” said John Delury, an assistant professor of Chinese and East Asian studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. |
| The couple’s younger son, Peter, 21, said they had been careful not to violate government restrictions on proselytizing. “They don’t try to hide it, but they’re not doing anything against the law,” he said by phone from Dandong. | The couple’s younger son, Peter, 21, said they had been careful not to violate government restrictions on proselytizing. “They don’t try to hide it, but they’re not doing anything against the law,” he said by phone from Dandong. |
| He said he had last spoken to his parents on Monday night, while they were out for dinner. | He said he had last spoken to his parents on Monday night, while they were out for dinner. |
| On Tuesday, Peter was summoned for questioning by the state security bureau and told to pick up some clothes and toiletries for his parents, he said. | On Tuesday, Peter was summoned for questioning by the state security bureau and told to pick up some clothes and toiletries for his parents, he said. |
| Reached by phone in Vancouver, Simeon, one of three Garratt siblings back in Canada, said: “My parents have loved China ever since they visited on their honeymoon. If you knew them, it would be the most absurd thing you could ever imagine.” | Reached by phone in Vancouver, Simeon, one of three Garratt siblings back in Canada, said: “My parents have loved China ever since they visited on their honeymoon. If you knew them, it would be the most absurd thing you could ever imagine.” |