US Army officer arrested in UK on suspicion of spying for Moscow
Counter terrorism police detained a 41-year-old soldier near Gloucester under the National Security Act.
By Justin Brooks ·
British counter terrorism police arrested a 41-year-old US Army soldier on Tuesday. Officers detained the man near Gloucester on suspicion of spying for Russia. The soldier holds a senior rank. He is currently held at a police station in London.
Counter Terrorism Policing London said they arrested the man under sections one and three of the National Security Act 2023. Section one covers obtaining or disclosing protected information. Section three covers assisting a foreign intelligence service. Police are searching two locations in Gloucestershire as part of the inquiry. The force stated the case is not linked to any other ongoing investigations.
The BBC reported that the soldier was based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, Gloucestershire. That site serves as the headquarters for NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. It functions as a strategic operational base for the alliance.
Kash Patel, director of the FBI, issued a statement regarding the detention. He said the arrest involves allegations of espionage that are of the utmost concern to the United States and its allies. Patel stated that the FBI has no tolerance for anyone who breaks their oath to the United States. He added that such actions endanger national security and that of partner nations.
Vicki Evans, a Deputy Assistant Commissioner with Counter Terrorism Policing London, described the arrest as significant. She noted that the allegations are serious and the investigation is very much ongoing. The soldier was detained under the National Security Act 2023. This law allows police to hold a suspect without charge for up to 14 days.
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon is the commanding general of US Army Counterintelligence Command. He said the alleged conduct of a senior soldier entrusted with sensitive information is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent. Stinchon encouraged anyone who witnessed something suspicious to report it to their local counterintelligence office.
