British police have arrested a senior member of the United States military on suspicion of spying for Russia following an investigation by counterterrorism officials, marking the latest instance of alleged espionage in the West linked to Moscow.
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police → arrest → Moscow
A 41-year-old man was arrested near Gloucester on suspicion of offences under Section 1 and Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023, according to a statement by London Metropolitan Police.
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man → arrest → Police
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summit → test → allies
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Section 1 of the Act relates to obtaining or disclosing protected information, while Section 3 relates to assisting a foreign intelligence service.
“As part of the investigation, officers are carrying out searches at two locations in Gloucestershire.
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officers → relate → Gloucestershire
The country to which the allegations relate is Russia,” the statement read.
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statement → relate → which
Here’s what we know so far.
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we → ’ → what
What do we know about the man arrested?
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we → know → man
So far, not much information is available about the soldier who was arrested.
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who → arrest → soldier
The BBC reported on Tuesday that the soldier was based at the Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, Gloucestershire.
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soldier → report → Innsworth
Those barracks serve as the base for NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), which is a strategic operational base for the military alliance.
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which → serve → alliance
The man has been detained under the National Security Act 2023, which allows police to hold him without charge for 14 days, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that Counter Terrorism Police London were leading the investigation.
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London → detain → investigation
Under British law, police generally do not publish the names of suspects before they have been charged, except in exceptional circumstances.
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they → publish → circumstances
What has the UK said?
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UK → say → What
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Britain’s Counter Terrorism Policing, said the arrest and investigation resulted from “close collaboration between UK and US authorities”.
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arrest → say → authorities
This activity demonstrates the strength of our UK and US law enforcement and national security partnerships, and I commend the work of all the teams involved.
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I → demonstrate → teams
We will work together to take robust action against those we suspect of any criminal activity that could undermine our national security.”
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that → work → security
The investigation into the US soldier is not connected to any other ongoing Counter Terrorism Policing investigations, according to the Metropolitan Police.
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investigation → connect → Police
What has the US said?
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US → say → What
FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest involved allegations of espionage which are of the “utmost concern” to the US and its allies.
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which → say → US
“While this investigation is continuing, I want to send a clear message – this FBI has no tolerance for anyone who breaks their oath to the United States and whose actions endanger our national security and that of our partners,” Patel said.
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Patel → continue → partners
He said that the FBI had made 167 arrests in counterintelligence and espionage-related cases over the last 21 months – a 53 percent increase over the comparable previous period.
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FBI → say → period
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of US Army Counterintelligence Command, said the case demonstrated the strength of the UK-US partnership.
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case → command → partnership
The alleged conduct of a senior soldier, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent.
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threats → allege → information
I encourage anyone who thinks they’ve witnessed something suspicious to report it to their local counterintelligence office,” he said.
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he → encourage → office
Has this happened before?
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this → happen → ?
This is believed to be the first time a US soldier was found to be under suspicion of spying for a foreign government while in the UK.
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soldier → believe → UK
However, espionage allegations have grown in recent months.
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allegations → grow → months
In October, British police arrested three men on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023.
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police → arrest → Act
A month before, three people — two men and a woman — were arrested on suspicion of spying for Moscow.
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people → arrest → Moscow
However, even before the Ukraine war, Russian intelligence had played a role in London.
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intelligence → play → London
In 2006, former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned in the capital and in 2018, there was an attempted plot to poison double agent Sergei Skripal.
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Litvinenko → poison → Skripal
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