U.S. Army soldier detained in England on alleged Russian espionage links
A 41-year-old U.S. Army member was arrested near Gloucester, England, on suspicion of spying for Russia, with U.S. and British authorities cooperating in the investigation.
Metropolitan Police in England said a 41-year-old member of the U.S. Army was taken into custody near Gloucester on Tuesday on suspicion of espionage activities linked to Russia. The arrest followed searches of two sites in the Gloucestershire area, a region that hosts several defense-related facilities and intelligence outposts.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, described the detention as a "significant arrest" resulting from "close collaboration between UK and US authorities" and said the allegations were serious and the investigation was ongoing.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the case "of utmost concern" to the United States and its allies, adding that the 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." He thanked UK investigators and the U.S. Military Counterintelligence Command for their work.
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, commanding general of the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, said the incident highlighted the "resolve of the counterintelligence community" and warned that the alleged conduct of a senior soldier with access to sensitive information underscores that insider threats are "real and persistent."