A member of the US Army has been arrested in the UK on suspicion of offences under the National Security Act 2023 relating to Russia, counter-terrorism police have announced.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man was detained near Gloucester on Tuesday (November 10), following a joint operation involving UK counter-terrorism officers working closely with US authorities, the US military, and the FBI.
The suspect is currently being held in custody at a London police station as enquiries continue.
Ongoing Investigation and Searches
Officers are carrying out searches at two locations in Gloucestershire as part of the ongoing investigation, which police emphasised is not linked to any other active counter-terrorism probes.
The dramatic development comes amid heightened security across British military bases. Earlier on Tuesday, a number of US refuelling tankers were evacuated from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk following a reported security threat linked to Iran.
In September, a major incident was declared at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after three suspicious vans were seen near the US-operated airbase. Last month, two men were charged with national security offences in connection with the incident.
Security and Geopolitical Context
Downing Street and security ministers have repeatedly insisted that the safety of military bases across the UK remains a "top priority", with officials maintaining constant communication and intelligence-sharing with Washington as international tensions persist.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of changing geopolitical tensions. On Monday (9 November), President Donald Trump stated that the US was "seeing positive momentum toward an end" to the conflict with Iran.
Writing on Truth Social following discussions with Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Mr Trump noted that regional leaders prefer the continuation of the current status quo, including the naval blockade and Operation Iron Gate.
He emphasised that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, warning that the US remains "locked and loaded" if circumstances change - though he noted that further escalation currently seems unlikely.
