British police have arrested a senior member of the United States military near Gloucester on suspicion of spying for Russia, Al Jazeera reported, citing a Metropolitan Police statement that a 41 year old man was held on suspicion of offences under Section 1 of the National Security Act 2023, which covers obtaining or disclosing protected information, and Section 3, which covers assisting a foreign intelligence service. Officers are searching two locations in Gloucestershire, Counter Terrorism Policing London is leading the investigation, and the man can be held without charge for up to 14 days under the Act. The BBC reported, via Al Jazeera, that the soldier was based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, home to NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said the arrest resulted from close collaboration between UK and US authorities and that the allegations are serious, and the Metropolitan Police said the case is not connected to any other ongoing counterterrorism investigation. FBI Director Kash Patel called the espionage allegations of the utmost concern, and Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, commanding general of US Army Counterintelligence Command, called the alleged conduct of a senior soldier entrusted with sensitive information a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent.