British counter-terrorism police have arrested a senior member of the US military, police sources have confirmed. The 41-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday near Gloucester and is currently being held at a police station in London. His identity has not yet been released.
The arrest was made on suspicion of offences under the UK National Security Act. The suspect is alleged to have acted in contravention of sections 1 and 3 of the Act, which relate to obtaining or disclosing protected information and assisting a foreign intelligence service. Police stated that the allegations are linked to Russia, while the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) describes it as a suspicion of espionage. British police have not yet disclosed what information the suspect may have obtained or disclosed, nor have they specified what assistance was allegedly provided to the Russian intelligence service.
As part of the investigation, police officers are conducting searches at two locations in Gloucestershire. British counter-terrorism police are working closely with the US military and the FBI, and the investigation is reportedly ongoing. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans of the counter-terrorism police described the arrest as 'significant' and said it involved serious charges.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the agency has no tolerance for individuals who breach their oath of allegiance to the United States and whose actions threaten national security. The FBI has made 167 arrests related to counter-intelligence and espionage in the last 21 months, representing an increase of 53 per cent.
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, commander of the US Army Counterintelligence Command, said that the conduct of a senior soldier entrusted with sensitive data is a stark reminder that internal threats are real and persistent. He called on anyone who believes they have witnessed suspicious activity to report it to their local counter-intelligence office.
