Defense Min. apologizes for spying on officer trainee

Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert apologized in a letter to former soldier Ismail Selvi for spying on him. In the letter she wrote that the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) approached people in Selvi's area and that they were not allowed to do that. The Turkish-Dutch Selvi caused controversy a few years ago when he openly complained about discrimination in officer training at the Royal Military Academy. After the complaints Selvi had to leave the course because he was unsuitable, according to Defense. Selvi filed a complaint because the MIVD performed surveillance on him and approached people in his area. The complaint was examined by the Supervisory Commission on Intelligence and Security Services. The commission found that there was sufficient reason to investigate Selvi, but that approaching people in his are was too much. According to the commission, that was a great violation of his privacy.