A 41-year-old US Army serviceman has been arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of espionage linked to Russia. The investigation is being conducted by British law enforcement agencies in cooperation with American intelligence services and military counterintelligence.
This was reported by the London police on Tuesday, November 10, here.
According to law enforcement, the American serviceman was arrested near the city of Gloucester in western England. He is suspected of violating two provisions of the UK National Security Act 2023.
The first concerns the unlawful obtaining or disclosure of protected information, and the second—assisting a foreign intelligence service. The police specifically clarified that the state linked to the suspicions is Russia.
As part of the investigation, British law enforcement are conducting searches at two addresses in Gloucestershire. The suspect was taken to London, where he remains in custody at a police station.
The serviceman's name, exact position, and unit have not been officially disclosed. It is also not yet known what specific information he allegedly could have obtained or transmitted and to whom it was intended.
The investigation is being carried out in close cooperation between British counter-terrorism police, American authorities, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the US Army.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans of the London Police, responsible for coordinating counter-terrorism activities, stressed the seriousness of the suspicions raised.
According to her, the arrest was the result of close interaction between law enforcement agencies of the United Kingdom and the United States. The investigation is ongoing, and its circumstances require further examination.
Evans also noted that British and American services intend to jointly counter activities that may pose a threat to the national security of both states.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the investigation concerns alleged espionage. He called the case particularly serious in terms of the security of the United States and its allies.
Patel stressed that American law enforcement agencies do not intend to tolerate actions of individuals who violate their oath and create a threat to national security.
The FBI director also cited statistics on the bureau's work. According to him, over the past 21 months, the FBI has conducted 167 arrests as part of counterintelligence investigations and espionage cases. This is 53% more than the previous comparable period.
The operation involved Britain's domestic security service MI5, UK military counterintelligence units, and the US Army Counterintelligence Command.
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, commander of American military counterintelligence, said the case demonstrates the continuing threat from individuals with access to classified information.
According to Stinchon, the suspect is a senior serviceman who was entrusted with confidential information. However, the general did not specify exactly what materials the detainee had.
He also urged servicemen to report suspicious activity that may pose a security threat to counterintelligence units.
British police stressed that the current case is not linked to other investigations being conducted by counter-terrorism units.
The investigation is led by the London counter-terrorism police unit. No official reports on charges or court proceedings have been made yet.
