London [UK], November 11 (ANI): A 41-year-old United States Army soldier was detained in the United Kingdom on Tuesday on suspicion of espionage linked to Moscow, according to communications reviewed by CNN.
The unidentified service member was arrested by British counterterrorism officers working in coordination with U.S. defense officials and domestic investigative agencies, according to London’s Metropolitan Police. The individual remains in custody at a detention facility in the British capital.
“The 41-year-old man was arrested near Gloucester on Tuesday, 10 November,” law enforcement authorities stated in an official release, adding that the suspect “was arrested on suspicion of offences under Section 1 and Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023.”
Section 1 of the legislation governs the handling of classified or protected material, while Section 3 addresses offenses involving assistance to a foreign intelligence service.
As the investigation continues, police are executing judicial search warrants at two residential and operational properties in Gloucestershire. Authorities confirmed that the inquiry involves allegations concerning the Russian Federation.
A senior North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) official told CNN that the detained soldier was formally assigned to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, a multinational command formation headquartered in Gloucester under British leadership.
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, commanding officer of the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, noted in official agency statements that the arrested soldier had access to highly sensitive information.
Additional details provided to CNN by defense officials indicate that the suspect holds the rank of a field-grade Army officer, encompassing mid- to senior-level positions such as major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel addressed the operation in an official statement, emphasizing that the case involves serious allegations of intelligence cooperation with foreign actors.
“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 stated.
British counterterrorism investigators have previously examined security breaches involving U.S. defense installations across the UK, including incidents near strategic military airfields, according to CNN.
In September, local authorities arrested five individuals outside Royal Air Force Fairford, a facility used by American forces. Crown Prosecution Service lawyers subsequently charged two British nationals under national security laws, alleging links to Iranian intelligence operations. Tehran has consistently denied the allegations.
Additionally, British counterterrorism units launched formal investigations in October following the arrest of two Latvian nationals found within the perimeter of another Royal Air Force station hosting American personnel, according to CNN.
Metropolitan Police representatives clarified in public briefings that the current espionage investigation involving the American soldier is independent and unrelated to previous counterterrorism operations. (ANI)
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