OnPolitics: Suspected spies sought Alaskan military bases intel, not the Northern lights

Hi there, OnPolitics readers.

We’re keeping that pin in the debt ceiling news as the House is yet to vote on the deal. Instead, we bring you this scoop about suspected Chinese spies from Paste BN reporter Tom Vanden Brook.

Chinese citizens posing as tourists but suspected of being spies have made several attempts in recent years to infiltrate Alaskan military bases. Most incidents were chalked up to mistakes by foreign visitors intent on viewing the Northern Lights and other attractions in Alaska.

But some attempts appear to be probes to learn about U.S. military capabilities in Alaska, according to multiple soldiers familiar with the incidents but who were not authorized to speak publicly about them.

Why it matters: Alaska is home to three large military bases – Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, and Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks. The state is seen as key to homeland defense because of its location.

Keep reading: Suspected Chinese spies, disguised as tourists, tried to infiltrate Alaskan military bases

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