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British counter-terrorism police authorities announced that a US Army soldier was arrested on charges of working as a Russian spy on the 10th (local time).
The 41-year-old soldier was arrested near Gloucestershire in southern England.
CTP London, Britain's counter-terrorism police organization, said the man was arrested under Articles 1 and 3 of the UK's National Security Act 2023. Article 1 relates to the acquisition or disclosure of protected information, and Article 3 relates to support for foreign intelligence agencies.
As part of the investigation, police are searching two locations in Gloucestershire.
According to what the BBC has learned, the soldier in question was stationed at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, Gloucestershire. Imjin Barracks is where the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s Allied Rapid Response Corps (ARRC) is located and is a strategic operational base for NATO.
Counter-terrorism police authorities said this case was not related to other ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, FBI Director Cathy Patel said in a statement, "This significant arrest involves espionage charges, which are of utmost concern to the United States and our allies."
“While the investigation is ongoing, I want to be clear: the FBI will not tolerate anyone who violates their oath to the United States and whose actions endanger our national security and that of our partners,” he said.
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CTP London's Deputy Assistant Director Vicky Evans said the arrest was "of great significance" and added: "The charges are serious and the investigation is ongoing."
The soldier, whose identity has not been revealed, is currently being detained at a police station in London.
He was detained under the National Security Act of 2023, which allows police to detain him for up to 14 days without charge.
Brigadier General Sean Stincheon of the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command pointed out, "The fact that a senior soldier who has been in charge of sensitive information is being suspected of these charges is a sobering reminder of the reality that the threat posed by insiders is real and continues to exist."
“We urge anyone who believes they may have witnessed a suspicious situation to report it to their local counterintelligence agency.”
Additional reporting: Daniel Sandford, UK correspondent
