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A 41-year-old member of the US Army has been arrested in Britain as part of an investigation into alleged espionage linked to Russia, UK police said Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Police said the man was arrested near Gloucester on suspicion of offenses under Section 1 and Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023. The force said the investigation is being run by Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) in close cooperation with US authorities, the US military and the FBI.
“The country to which the allegations relate is Russia,” the Metropolitan Police said in its statement.
The man remains in custody at a London police station, the statement said. The investigation is being led by officers from CTP London, and police said inquiries are continuing.
Officers are also carrying out searches at two locations in Gloucestershire as part of the inquiry. Police did not say what the searches had turned up, and the statement gave no further details about the suspect.
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Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing, called the arrest and investigation “significant” and said the allegations are “serious.” She added that the investigation is “very much ongoing.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest involves allegations of espionage, which he described as “of the utmost concern to the United States and our allies.”
Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commanding general of the US Army Counterintelligence Command, said the case “demonstrates the strength of our partnerships and the resolve of the counterintelligence community.”
He also described the alleged conduct of a senior soldier entrusted with sensitive information as a “sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent.”
The National Security Act 2023 updated Britain’s legislation on espionage and foreign interference. Section 1 covers obtaining or disclosing protected information, while Section 3 covers assisting a foreign intelligence service. Counter Terrorism Policing, a UK policing network, leads investigations under the law.
An arrest on suspicion of an offense does not amount to a charge or a finding of guilt.
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