A senior soldier in the US Army has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia, counter-terrorism police have revealed. The 41-year-old is accused of helping a Russian intelligence service and obtaining or disclosing protected information, detectives said. The suspect, who is in custody, was arrested near Gloucester.
FBI Confirms Espionage Allegations
FBI Director Kash Patel admitted the case involves "allegations of espionage". He said: "This important arrest involves allegations of espionage, which is of the utmost concern to the United States and our allies. 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. This includes 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests from this FBI over the last 21 months – a 53% increase."
Patel added: "This matter shows that partnerships are essential to protect our countries and I want to express my thanks to UK Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, UK Defence Counter Intelligence, and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their outstanding work."
Military and UK Response
Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, said: "This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships and the resolve of the counterintelligence community. I am grateful to the UK and the FBI for their professionalism and teamwork throughout this investigation. The alleged conduct of a senior solider, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent. I encourage anyone who thinks they’ve witnessed something suspicious to report it to their local counterintelligence office."
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "This significant arrest and investigation is a result of close collaboration between UK and US authorities. The allegations are serious and our investigation is very much ongoing. 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. We will work together to take robust action against those we suspect of any criminal activity that could undermine our national security."
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
